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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: arm · suit · press · board · patient · fall · lie · mate

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fall — to drop
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. fall — to drop
  7. mate — a partner
  8. board — a committee
  9. suit — clothes
  10. lie — to recline
  11. suit — to fit
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. press — a publisher
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. suit — in cards
  16. press — to push
  17. press — newspapers
  18. fall — the season
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mate — to breed
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. arm — part of the body

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