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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. season — in sport
  3. game — wild animals
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. object — to protest
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. tube — the underground
  9. object — an aim
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. object — a thing
  12. ball — a great time
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. season — of the year
  17. dip — to sink
  18. game — a match
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. ball — a dance
  22. tube — a container
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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