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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. firm — decided
  3. kick — in football
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fall — to drop
  6. press — newspapers
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. net — in sport
  9. press — to push
  10. fall — the season
  11. mark — a grade
  12. press — a publisher
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fall — to drop
  16. net — for catching
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — steady
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. mark — a trace
  24. net — after costs

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