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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
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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: tube · firm · ball · patient · file · coach · stock · press

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. stock — goods
  4. tube — a container
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ball — a dance
  7. firm — a company
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. file — a line of people
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stock — shares
  15. tube — the underground
  16. file — a tool
  17. press — a publisher
  18. firm — decided
  19. file — a document
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ball — a great time
  23. firm — steady
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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