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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.

Make a worksheet

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

Words on the sheet
468
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: temple · bowl · net · club · jam · band · fan · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. net — in sport
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. band — a ring
  10. club — a group
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. chip — for betting
  13. club — for golf
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. club — for dancing
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — for catching
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. temple — a place of worship

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