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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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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: staff · ground · bear · patient · nail · can · press · ball

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — the earth
  4. press — a publisher
  5. staff — employees
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. staff — a stick
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bear — the animal
  11. can — a tin
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. can — to be able to
  14. press — newspapers
  15. can — a tin
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ground — a position
  23. staff — employees
  24. press — to push

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