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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: mark · bat · bulb · patient · tube · wave · chair · suit

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. chair — a leader
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. suit — in cards
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mark — a trace
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bat — the animal
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. chair — a professorship

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