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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: season · jam · patient · squash · current · key · foot · chip

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. squash — the sport
  5. chip — for betting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. chip — to eat
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. current — of water
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. current — happening now
  19. season — of the year
  20. foot — a measure
  21. key — the most important part
  22. current — electric
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. jam — a tight spot

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