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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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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: safe · patient · wake · pound · straw · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pound — a weight
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. wake — a trail
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. press — a publisher
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. press — to push
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox

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