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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. press — newspapers
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bear — the animal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. press — to push
  11. key — the most important part
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. press — a publisher
  18. chip — for betting
  19. prune — to trim
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. key — for a lock
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — to eat
  24. key — in music

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