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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. press — to push
  5. press — newspapers
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. mate — a partner
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. mate — to breed
  13. stand — to bear
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. drill — a practice
  19. mate — a friend
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. swing — to play on

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