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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lie · bear · patient · chip · object · current · roll · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. chip — for betting
  5. current — electric
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. object — an aim
  8. bat — the animal
  9. roll — a list
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. object — to protest
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. current — happening now
  15. chip — to eat
  16. current — of water
  17. object — a thing
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bear — the animal
  22. roll — a cake
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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