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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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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: rash · deal · press · kick · capital · patient · pit · stand

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. capital — money
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pit — a hole
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. kick — in football
  11. capital — a city
  12. press — to push
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pit — in a race
  15. press — newspapers
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rash — hasty
  21. press — a publisher
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rash — a series

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