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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: leaves · wind · patient · calf · press · cabinet

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. press — to push
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. press — a publisher
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. press — newspapers
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. leaves — to go away

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