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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: patient · mug · mouse · rest · press · prune · cabinet · rule

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. mug — a cup
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rule — government
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mug — to rob
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rest — what's left
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. rule — a law
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rest — a break
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mug — a face
  24. press — to push

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