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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: rock · bank · foot · patient · bulb · chip · cabinet · mine

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. mine — for digging
  6. rock — music
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. foot — a measure
  20. rock — a stone
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. foot — part of the body

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