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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: patient · chip · key · dip · staff · tube · degree · season

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. degree — an amount
  5. tube — a container
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. staff — employees
  8. degree — temperature
  9. staff — employees
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. staff — a stick
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. chip — to eat
  15. key — in music
  16. season — of the year
  17. chip — for betting
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. tube — the underground
  20. key — for a lock
  21. season — in sport
  22. degree — from a university
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. key — the most important part

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