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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. press — to push
  4. press — a publisher
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. club — a group
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. face — to point toward
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. club — for dancing
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. press — newspapers
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. fall — the season
  24. club — for golf

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