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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. press — to push
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. press — newspapers
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stem — to come from
  20. rock — music
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rock — a stone

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