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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. suit — to fit
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. rush — hurry
  11. press — a publisher
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. press — newspapers
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. lie — to recline
  18. press — to push
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. suit — in cards
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rush — to hurry

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