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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: patient · foot · firm · ball · snap · hide · temple · press

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. foot — a measure
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. firm — steady
  8. snap — to click
  9. press — newspapers
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. ball — a great time
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. press — to push
  18. press — a publisher
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. ball — a dance
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. firm — a company
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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