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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: arm · bore · hide · rule · patient · net · content · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — the amount
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — in sport
  9. rule — a law
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. net — after costs
  14. press — to push
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rule — government
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. press — a publisher
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. content — happy

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