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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
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: press · mark · degree · land · bay · mouse · suit · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. land — ground
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. degree — from a university
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — newspapers
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. suit — to fit
  13. degree — an amount
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. land — a country
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. press — to push
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. land — to come down
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mouse — the animal

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