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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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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: wave · toast · patient · press · hide · racket

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. toast — bread
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. press — to push
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. press — a publisher
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. press — newspapers
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. hide — to keep secret

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