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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: lie · patient · key · wake · chest · root · fine · pass

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — a box
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. wake — a trail
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — all right
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. lie — to recline
  12. key — in music
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. root — of a word
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. key — the most important part
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. root — of a plant
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. key — for a lock
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. root — the cause

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