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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: leaves · patient · race · last · rock · jam · press · bass

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. press — newspapers
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bass — low music
  7. rock — music
  8. race — the arms race
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. press — to push
  11. race — humankind
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bass — the fish
  15. last — finally
  16. race — a contest
  17. last — final
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. press — a publisher
  21. last — to go on
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. leaves — lets stay

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