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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 116 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. key — the most important part
  8. stock — goods
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fine — high quality
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. stock — shares
  17. key — for a lock
  18. fork — in a road
  19. chip — to eat
  20. key — in music
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fine — all right
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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