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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. press — newspapers
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. object — to protest
  9. mate — to breed
  10. press — to push
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. object — a thing
  13. race — a contest
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chair — a leader
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — humankind
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. object — an aim
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. press — a publisher
  24. mate — a partner

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