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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're almost out of ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. land — to come down
  4. press — a publisher
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. land — ground
  7. pop — to visit
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. squash — the sport
  13. land — a country
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. press — to push
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. deal — to handle
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pop — music
  24. patient — a sick person

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