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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.

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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — a friend
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. mug — a face
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. press — to push
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mate — to breed
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mug — a cup
  16. hand — in cards
  17. press — newspapers
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. hand — help
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. press — a publisher

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