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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 116 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: lie · race · bowl · patient · press · present · season · leaves

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. present — there
  3. press — a publisher
  4. race — the arms race
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — a contest
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. press — to push
  20. season — in sport
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. season — of the year
  23. lie — to recline
  24. press — newspapers

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