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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: safe · patient · wake · pound · straw · press · mark · rule

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wake — a trail
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — to push
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. rule — government
  15. pound — a weight
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. mark — a trace
  18. press — newspapers
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rule — a law
  21. mark — a grade
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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