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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: fork · tear · hide · patient · object · chip

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. object — to protest
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. object — an aim
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. object — a thing
  10. tear — to rip
  11. fork — in a road
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. tear — from crying
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. chip — to eat
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret

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