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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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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: root · wave · suit · patient · date · kick · cell · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. press — newspapers
  5. date — the fruit
  6. press — to push
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. cell — a phone
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — of a plant
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. suit — clothes
  18. root — the cause
  19. suit — to fit
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cell — in biology
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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