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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: press · land · fall · leaves · bowl · patient · pass · bay

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. land — to come down
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. press — newspapers
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. land — ground
  19. land — a country
  20. press — to push
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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