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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
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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: last · patient · key · press · ground · stick · suit · wake

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. last — finally
  6. wake — a trail
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. ground — a position
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. ground — crushed
  13. last — final
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ground — the earth
  16. suit — clothes
  17. press — a publisher
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — to push
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. last — to go on
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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