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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: track · perch · patient · rush · present · lie · fall · press

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fall — to drop
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rush — hurry
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. fall — the season
  8. present — the time now
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. present — a gift
  11. press — to push
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a song
  14. fall — to drop
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. track — a path
  18. lie — to recline
  19. press — a publisher
  20. perch — the fish
  21. present — there
  22. press — newspapers
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rush — a thrill

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