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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: cap · kick · saw · bulb · net · patient · tube · suit

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cap — of ice
  4. net — after costs
  5. saw — the tool
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bulb — for light
  9. net — in sport
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. suit — in cards
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. net — for catching
  16. bulb — for light
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. tube — the underground
  22. cap — a hat
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. tube — a container

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