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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: key · rock · chip · arm · trunk · kid · track · patient

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. track — a song
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. key — in music
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. track — a path
  18. rock — music
  19. chip — to eat
  20. kid — child
  21. chip — for betting
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. key — the most important part
  24. track — to keep track

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