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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · press · patient · board · chair · fine · foot · dip

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. board — to get on
  3. press — newspapers
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. mine — for digging
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. board — a committee
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. chair — a leader
  16. fine — high quality
  17. press — a publisher
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. fine — all right
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. press — to push
  24. dip — to sink

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