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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · current · firm · game · saw · wave · arm · stock

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. chip — to eat
  5. saw — the tool
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. saw — the tool
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — wild animals
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. game — a match
  21. current — happening now
  22. firm — decided
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com