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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 116 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.

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: file · chip · bowl · spring · patient · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. file — a line of people
  3. craft — boats
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. chip — to eat
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. craft — a skill
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — the season
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. file — a tool
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. file — a document

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