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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 120 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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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: mate · pound · pass · patient · fork · chip · lean · chair

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. chip — to eat
  3. lean — to bend
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. chip — for betting
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mate — a partner
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mate — a friend
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mate — to breed
  13. lean — thin
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pass — a permit
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. pound — a weight
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a leader

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