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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: press · date · rule · patient · rest · leaves · pitcher · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. press — to push
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rest — what's left
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — newspapers
  13. rule — government
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rule — a law
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. rest — a break
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

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