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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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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: staff · patient · pass · roll · wind · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. staff — employees
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. staff — employees
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. press — to push
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. staff — a stick
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — a list
  13. pass — a permit
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. press — a publisher
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wind — moving air

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