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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. can — a tin
  3. chest — a box
  4. press — newspapers
  5. can — to be able to
  6. last — finally
  7. capital — a city
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. last — final
  10. capital — money
  11. press — to push
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. chest — of your body
  19. last — to go on
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. can — a tin
  22. chest — of your body
  23. press — a publisher
  24. fan — a supporter

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