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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: track · fan · bass · nail · chip · key · patient · land

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. land — a country
  3. chip — for betting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. track — a song
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. key — in music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. key — for a lock
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. track — to keep track
  14. land — ground
  15. bass — low music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. key — the most important part
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. land — to come down
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. track — a path

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