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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: race · press · cue · patient · bark · spell · jam · stand

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stand — to bear
  4. press — newspapers
  5. spell — a short time
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. cue — for pool
  8. race — a contest
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. cue — a hint
  11. spell — letters
  12. bark — to shout
  13. race — humankind
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. press — to push
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. press — a publisher
  19. spell — magic
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. race — the arms race
  23. cue — a signal
  24. jam — a tight spot

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