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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: sharp · patient · chair · deal · bank · wax · bay · key

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bank — of a river
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bank — for money
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. deal — to handle
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bank — for money
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. key — in music
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. chair — a leader
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. key — for a lock

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