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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: pass · fork · rush · patient · hand · press · root · suit

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. root — of a plant
  3. rush — hurry
  4. root — the cause
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. press — a publisher
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. hand — in cards
  17. pass — a permit
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. press — newspapers
  20. suit — in cards
  21. root — of a word
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. hand — help

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