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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 · foot · bulb · bowl · chair · mug · kick · saw

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  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. foot — the bottom
  2. mug — a face
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bulb — for light
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. mug — a cup
  10. kick — in football
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chair — a leader
  21. saw — the tool
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bowl — a football final
  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