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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 120 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: squash · patient · bulb · firm · bowl · saw · mine · fork

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. firm — steady
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. mine — for digging
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bulb — for light
  9. saw — the tool
  10. firm — decided
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. firm — a company
  16. bulb — for light
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. saw — the tool
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. fork — in a road

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