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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: hand · ball · foot · cue · press · patient · stand · face

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. cue — a hint
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. foot — a measure
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. cue — for pool
  7. press — to push
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. ball — a dance
  11. hand — help
  12. cue — a signal
  13. press — newspapers
  14. face — to point toward
  15. stand — to bear
  16. face — part of the head
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. face — to confront
  21. ball — a great time
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — in cards
  24. foot — part of the body

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