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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — a hole
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — a coil
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pit — in a race
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. press — to push
  22. mark — a grade
  23. press — a publisher
  24. wave — of the sea

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