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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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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: snap · press · roll · pass · sharp · wake · rash · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. roll — a list
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. pass — a permit
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. rash — a series
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. rash — hasty
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. press — newspapers
  16. roll — a cake
  17. sharp — clever
  18. wake — a trail
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. snap — to click
  24. press — to push

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