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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 124 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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bear — the animal
  3. press — to push
  4. cold — not warm
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. cold — an illness
  7. shower — rain
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. press — newspapers
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. shower — to wash
  17. roll — a list
  18. bear — the animal
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rush — hurry

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