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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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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: patient · press · stand · wound · temple · mate · staff · object

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. staff — a stick
  5. press — a publisher
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. object — an aim
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stand — to bear
  18. press — to push
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. object — to protest
  22. mate — a partner
  23. press — newspapers
  24. object — a thing

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