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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 120 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
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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: wax · chip · key · patient · lean · object · net · wound

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wound — an injury
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. key — for a lock
  7. chip — for betting
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. key — in music
  11. lean — to bend
  12. wax — to grow
  13. net — for catching
  14. object — an aim
  15. lean — thin
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. net — in sport
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. object — to protest
  20. net — after costs
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — to eat
  23. wound — an injury
  24. object — a thing

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