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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rush · press · mark · chip · lie · patient · safe · straw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. rush — hurry
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. press — newspapers
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — to push
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. lie — to recline
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. chip — for betting

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