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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. last — to go on
  4. rash — a series
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rash — hasty
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bear — the animal
  14. last — finally
  15. cap — a hat
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. press — a publisher
  18. last — final
  19. cap — of ice
  20. shower — to wash
  21. fine — all right
  22. cap — a lid
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. fine — high quality

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