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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — for betting
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. track — a path
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. key — in music
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. vault — a safe
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. key — the most important part
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. rest — what's left
  13. track — a song
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. track — to keep track
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rest — what's left
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rest — a break
  21. pound — a weight
  22. key — for a lock
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. patient — a sick person

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