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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 116 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — high quality
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bear — the animal
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — a publisher
  16. pass — a permit
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. chip — to eat
  20. hand — in cards
  21. press — to push
  22. hand — help
  23. band — a music group
  24. patient — a sick person

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