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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
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: patient · scale · bank · squash · cap · chip · bulb · court

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. scale — in music
  3. cap — of ice
  4. chip — to eat
  5. squash — to crush
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cap — a lid
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cap — a hat
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bank — for money
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — for sport
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. court — of law
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bank — for money

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