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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: rash · wound · saw · rock · kick · pit · chip · patient

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wound — an injury
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. wound — an injury
  8. kick — in football
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rash — a series
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pit — a hole
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. rock — a stone
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. rash — hasty
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rock — music
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. chip — to eat

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