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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: patient · chip · hand · hide · coach · fork · wake · leaves

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — to eat
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. hand — help
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. wake — a trail
  12. fork — in a road
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. hide — to keep secret

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