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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: firm · patient · pop · wave · trunk · key · content · chip

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. content — the amount
  3. chip — to eat
  4. firm — decided
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. firm — a company
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pop — to visit
  11. firm — steady
  12. key — in music
  13. chip — for betting
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pop — soda
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. pop — music
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. key — the most important part
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. content — happy

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