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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: cell · present · press · patient · coach · scale · shower · key

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. scale — in music
  3. cell — in biology
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. press — to push
  7. key — in music
  8. shower — to wash
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — there
  12. key — the most important part
  13. scale — size or range
  14. shower — rain
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. present — a gift
  17. press — a publisher
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. cell — a phone
  21. key — for a lock
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. coach — a trainer

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