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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: patient · squash · degree · chip · present · key · coach · root

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. degree — temperature
  3. present — there
  4. squash — the sport
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. root — of a plant
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. key — the most important part
  10. chip — for betting
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. degree — an amount
  15. present — the time now
  16. key — in music
  17. chip — to eat
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a word
  20. squash — to crush
  21. degree — from a university
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. key — for a lock
  24. present — a gift

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