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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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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: patient · rush · pit · chip · wake · bay · club · land

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rush — hurry
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. land — to come down
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. club — for golf
  17. land — ground
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. land — a country
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. club — a group
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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