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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.

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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: patient · chip · lean · rock · object · bulb

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bulb — for light
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rock — a stone
  6. lean — to bend
  7. object — a thing
  8. lean — thin
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rock — music
  12. bulb — for light
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — to protest
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bulb — of a plant

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