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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: fine · bowl · object · wave · patient · game · field · chip

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. chip — for betting
  5. object — to protest
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. chip — to eat
  8. fine — all right
  9. game — a match
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. field — farmland
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. field — a subject
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. object — a thing
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. fine — high quality
  19. field — for sport
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. object — an aim

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