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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: prune · mark · mug · patient · staff · march · season · press

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. prune — to trim
  5. march — music
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. mark — a trace
  8. march — the month
  9. mug — a face
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. prune — to trim
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a cup
  15. march — the month
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. press — to push
  18. staff — employees
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — of the year
  21. staff — a stick
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. patient — a sick person

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