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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 120 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: object · last · swing · saw · chip · rock · patient · capital

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. saw — the tool
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. last — to go on
  5. chip — to eat
  6. last — finally
  7. object — an aim
  8. capital — money
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. object — a thing
  11. saw — the tool
  12. object — to protest
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. rock — music
  18. last — final
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. swing — to play on
  23. capital — a city
  24. chip — for betting

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