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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: patient · press · last · wave · object · foot · tube · racket

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. last — final
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. last — to go on
  10. tube — the underground
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. press — newspapers
  13. object — to protest
  14. last — finally
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. press — a publisher
  18. object — an aim
  19. foot — a measure
  20. tube — a container
  21. press — to push
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wave — with your hand

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