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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: staff · bowl · rock · face · fine · rush · patient · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. face — to confront
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. staff — employees
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rock — a stone
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. staff — employees
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. staff — a stick
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fine — all right
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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