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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 120 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: mouse · press · calf · deal · coach · pass · patient · degree

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. deal — to handle
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. press — to push
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. degree — an amount
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pass — a permit
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. press — newspapers
  19. degree — from a university
  20. press — a publisher
  21. degree — temperature
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. calf — a young animal

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