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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: wave · press · temple · patient · pit · field

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. press — newspapers
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. press — to push
  14. pit — in a race
  15. field — farmland
  16. pit — a hole
  17. field — for sport
  18. press — a publisher

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