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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. press — newspapers
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. net — after costs
  6. bark — to shout
  7. rest — what's left
  8. present — there
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. rest — what's left
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. net — in sport
  15. present — a gift
  16. charge — in control
  17. net — for catching
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. present — the time now
  20. press — to push
  21. rest — a break
  22. press — a publisher
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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