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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 116 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: sharp · track · key · fine · ruler · patient · chip · branch

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. key — for a lock
  4. fine — all right
  5. key — the most important part
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. chip — for betting
  9. branch — a division
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — to eat
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fine — high quality
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. key — in music
  18. sharp — clever
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. branch — of a tree

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