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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: deal · wake · track · spring · chip · patient · face · key

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. track — a path
  6. face — to confront
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. face — part of the head
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — to handle
  14. spring — of water
  15. track — a song
  16. spring — a coil
  17. key — for a lock
  18. spring — the season
  19. key — the most important part
  20. chip — for betting
  21. face — to point toward
  22. key — in music
  23. track — to keep track
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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