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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: chip · pitcher · leaves · current · patient · hide · deal · ground

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. chip — to eat
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. current — of water
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — the earth
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. current — electric
  18. chip — for betting
  19. current — happening now
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. deal — to handle
  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