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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · key · rash · patient · stand · sharp · wind · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rash — hasty
  3. wind — moving air
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. key — in music
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. chip — for betting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. key — the most important part
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. rash — a series
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. key — for a lock
  23. wind — moving air
  24. sharp — clever

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