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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. press — a publisher
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. present — the time now
  11. bear — the animal
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stand — to bear
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. present — there
  18. press — to push
  19. present — a gift
  20. bat — the animal
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bear — to put up with

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