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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: press · patient · rush · pass · bay · mug · mouse · branch

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pass — a permit
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. branch — a division
  6. press — a publisher
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. press — to push
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. mug — a cup
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. mug — a face

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