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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: lean · season · foot · rule · wave · patient · cap · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. season — in sport
  4. chip — to eat
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. rule — a law
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rule — government
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. cap — of ice
  12. season — of the year
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. foot — a measure
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cap — a hat
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. cap — a lid
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. season — to add flavour

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