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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: leaves · game · club · fine · press · scale · row · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. press — to push
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. press — newspapers
  9. scale — size or range
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. game — wild animals
  12. row — a line
  13. row — to paddle
  14. press — a publisher
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. game — a match
  20. scale — in music
  21. club — for dancing
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — a group

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