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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: staff · press · fall · patient · can · saw · branch · bowl

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. press — a publisher
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. can — to be able to
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. saw — the tool
  13. press — to push
  14. staff — employees
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fall — the season
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. branch — a division
  19. can — a tin
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fall — to drop
  22. staff — employees
  23. can — a tin
  24. fall — to drop

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