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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: row · trunk · land · press · sharp · patient · club · cue

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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. cue — for pool
  4. sharp — clever
  5. press — to push
  6. cue — a hint
  7. land — ground
  8. row — a line
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. land — to come down
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. club — for dancing
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. press — a publisher
  16. land — a country
  17. row — to paddle
  18. club — a group
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. club — for golf
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. cue — a signal
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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