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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: rash · stand · patient · rush · press · fine · straw · bay

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. press — to push
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. press — newspapers
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rush — hurry
  18. stand — to bear
  19. fine — high quality
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. rash — a series
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. press — a publisher

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