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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: bat · patient · current · bulb · chip · capital · track · object

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. object — to protest
  4. capital — money
  5. bulb — for light
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. track — a song
  8. current — electric
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. current — happening now
  11. bat — the animal
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bulb — for light
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. current — of water
  17. chip — to eat
  18. capital — a city
  19. track — a path
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — an aim
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. track — to keep track
  24. capital — a big letter

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