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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 120 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.

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: tube · safe · press · track · kid · patient · stand · bass

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. tube — a container
  3. bass — low music
  4. tube — the underground
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bass — the fish
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. press — to push
  11. kid — to tease
  12. track — to keep track
  13. press — newspapers
  14. track — a song
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. track — a path
  17. kid — child
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. tube — in a tire

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