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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: roll · temple · fan · chip · stand · stock · wax · bulb

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. roll — a cake
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stock — shares
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bulb — for light
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bulb — for light
  17. roll — a list
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. wax — to grow
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. chip — to eat
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. stand — for spectators

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