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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. press — to push
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. press — a publisher
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. ground — a position
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — a line
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. press — newspapers
  18. suit — in cards
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. suit — to fit

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