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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 116 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: stand · press · saw · racket · rest · patient · capital · mate

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. capital — money
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. capital — a city
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. mate — a friend
  9. saw — the tool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rest — what's left
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. mate — a partner
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mate — to breed
  23. press — to push
  24. capital — a big letter

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