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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 · season · temple · stock · suit · board · cue · root

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. cue — a signal
  3. board — to get on
  4. stock — shares
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. root — of a plant
  8. cue — for pool
  9. season — in sport
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a word
  12. suit — to fit
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. cue — a hint
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. board — a committee
  18. chip — for betting
  19. season — of the year
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stock — goods
  22. chip — to eat
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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