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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. press — a publisher
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. mate — a partner
  10. lean — thin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. press — newspapers
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — to bend
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. press — to push
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — in a road
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — to breed

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