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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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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: temple · pound · saw · wake · chip · date · present · bear

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. wake — a trail
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. date — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bear — the animal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. present — there
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pound — a weight

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