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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: sharp · wind · cabinet · patient · squash · tube · track · key

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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. squash — the sport
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. wind — moving air
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. track — a path
  9. tube — a container
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. key — for a lock
  13. tube — the underground
  14. track — a song
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. key — in music
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wind — moving air
  20. squash — to crush
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. sharp — clever
  23. track — to keep track
  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