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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 116 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. dip — to sink
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. saw — the tool
  7. press — to push
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pop — soda
  10. cap — a lid
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pop — to visit
  13. cold — an illness
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — a grade
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. press — newspapers
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cold — not warm
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pop — music

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