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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: march · chip · key · suit · rock · patient · deal · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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. deal — an agreement
  4. march — the month
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rock — music
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. key — the most important part
  11. deal — to handle
  12. key — for a lock
  13. squash — the sport
  14. rock — a stone
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. march — music
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. chip — to eat
  23. march — the month
  24. patient — a sick person

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