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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: press · patient · deal · temple · rest · nail

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. rest — what's left
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. press — to push
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rest — a break
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. deal — to handle
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. press — a publisher
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. press — newspapers
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. patient — a sick person

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