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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 116 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: cue · safe · cell · press · patient · net · land · lie

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. land — a country
  3. cue — a hint
  4. press — newspapers
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. lie — to recline
  8. land — to come down
  9. press — to push
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. land — ground
  12. press — a publisher
  13. cell — in biology
  14. net — after costs
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. net — for catching
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cell — a phone
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. cue — a signal
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. net — in sport

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