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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: ground · spring · patient · suit · safe · pound · stand · press

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. press — to push
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. spring — the season
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. press — a publisher
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — a weight
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. ground — the earth
  16. spring — of water
  17. press — newspapers
  18. ground — crushed
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. spring — a coil
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. ground — a position
  24. pound — to hit hard

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