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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: ground · row · pit · charge · pound · bear · press · patient

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. ground — a position
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pit — a hole
  7. row — to paddle
  8. charge — a price
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bear — the animal
  11. charge — in control
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bear — the animal
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. press — a publisher
  18. row — a line
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ground — crushed
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. press — to push

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