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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wind · bowl · patient · chest · key · pitcher · press · bass

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. key — in music
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bass — low music
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. chest — of your body
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wind — moving air
  20. key — for a lock
  21. chest — a box
  22. bass — the fish
  23. key — the most important part
  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