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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: present · chair · patient · press · leaves · racket

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. press — a publisher
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. present — the time now
  6. press — to push
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. present — there
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. press — newspapers
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. present — a gift
  18. patient — calm and waiting

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