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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 120 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: wind · press · staff · leaves · dip · bark · pound · patient

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — to push
  3. staff — employees
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. dip — to sink
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bark — to shout
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. pound — a weight
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. press — a publisher
  24. pound — to hit hard

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