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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: stand · kid · suit · foot · patient · prune · cue · press

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. suit — in cards
  4. prune — to trim
  5. kid — to tease
  6. suit — clothes
  7. prune — to trim
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stand — to bear
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. press — to push
  14. cue — a signal
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. cue — for pool
  17. press — a publisher
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. suit — to fit
  20. press — newspapers
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. kid — child
  24. stand — on your feet

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