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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: press · chip · racket · staff · patient · jam · arm · chest

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. chest — a box
  5. staff — a stick
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. staff — employees
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. press — newspapers
  12. chip — to eat
  13. staff — employees
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. chest — of your body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chest — of your body
  20. press — a publisher
  21. chip — for betting
  22. press — to push
  23. arm — part of the body
  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