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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: press · craft · patient · leaves · game · tube

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. press — newspapers
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — the underground
  6. press — a publisher
  7. craft — a skill
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — wild animals
  10. press — to push
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. game — a match
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. leaves — to go away

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