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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: tube · content · squash · pit · bay · press · stand · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stand — to bear
  3. press — to push
  4. pit — a hole
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pit — in a race
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. squash — the sport
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. content — the amount
  19. tube — a container
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. press — a publisher
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. content — happy

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