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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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. file — a tool
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. file — a document
  10. mug — a cup
  11. stem — to come from
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. firm — a company
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. file — a line of people
  16. firm — decided
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. press — to push
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — in cards
  21. press — a publisher
  22. mug — to rob
  23. firm — steady
  24. mug — a face

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