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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
468
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: lie · deal · press · file · object · racket · patient · fan

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. object — to protest
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. press — newspapers
  6. object — a thing
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. press — to push
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. file — a document
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. deal — to handle
  17. file — a line of people
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. file — a tool
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. press — a publisher
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. object — an aim
  24. lie — an untruth

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