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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: mark · file · chip · patient · swing · temple · pass · bulb

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. swing — in golf
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bulb — for light
  7. file — a document
  8. bulb — for light
  9. chip — for betting
  10. swing — music
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pass — a permit
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mark — a grade
  15. file — a line of people
  16. swing — to play on
  17. file — a tool
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. mark — a trace
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. pass — to spend time

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