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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: bulb · patient · chip · race · roll · net · lean · craft

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. race — a contest
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. craft — a skill
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bulb — for light
  7. chip — to eat
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. race — the arms race
  12. roll — a cake
  13. craft — boats
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. roll — a list
  16. race — humankind
  17. bulb — for light
  18. net — in sport
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. chip — for betting
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. net — after costs

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