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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: press · spell · board · race · patient · pass

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. spell — a short time
  3. race — humankind
  4. press — to push
  5. board — to get on
  6. spell — magic
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. race — a contest
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. press — a publisher
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. spell — letters
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. press — newspapers
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. race — the arms race

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