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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: pop · patient · plane · suit · drill · key · chip · wake

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. chip — for betting
  3. plane — a tool
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pop — to visit
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. key — in music
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. suit — to fit
  10. chip — to eat
  11. drill — the tool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. pop — music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. drill — army training
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pop — soda
  21. drill — a practice
  22. key — the most important part
  23. suit — clothes
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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