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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 120 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: key · content · drill · patient · arm · tube · leaves · press

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. 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. tube — the underground
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. content — the amount
  7. press — to push
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. press — newspapers
  13. tube — a container
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. press — a publisher
  16. drill — a practice
  17. content — happy
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. drill — army training
  21. key — the most important part
  22. drill — the tool
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. 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