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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: chair · bowl · chip · shower · club · jam · temple · calf

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. club — a group
  4. chip — to eat
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. shower — rain
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. shower — to wash
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chip — for betting
  24. calf — a young animal

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