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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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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: leaves · pound · press · jam · toast · patient · present · pop

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. press — a publisher
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pop — soda
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. press — to push
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. present — a gift
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. present — there
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. toast — bread
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. present — the time now
  19. pop — music
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. press — newspapers

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