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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: chip · temple · spell · kid · firm · pitch · toast · rock

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. chip — to eat
  3. spell — a short time
  4. kid — child
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pitch — completely
  9. rock — music
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. spell — letters
  12. firm — steady
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. kid — to tease
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. spell — magic
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — a company
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. chip — for betting
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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