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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — the most important part
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wake — a trail
  10. press — to push
  11. rest — a break
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bore — to tire
  16. key — in music
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — newspapers
  24. rest — what's left

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