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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: stock · chip · club · bulb · patient · file · coach · suit

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. file — a tool
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. file — a document
  6. suit — to fit
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stock — shares
  9. suit — in cards
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. file — a line of people
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — for golf
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stock — goods
  21. club — a group
  22. bulb — for light
  23. suit — clothes
  24. chip — for betting

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