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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 · arm · jam · bulb · hand · chair · mouse · lie

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. 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. hand — in cards
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bulb — for light
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. hand — help
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. chair — a leader
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. 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