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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 · date · stem · temple · wave · key · rule · wake

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. key — in music
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — a law
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. key — the most important part
  13. chip — to eat
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — the fruit
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rule — government
  21. key — for a lock
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. stem — to come from
  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