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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: temple · press · jam · snap · leaves · lie · patient · ruler

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to click
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. lie — to recline
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. press — to push
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. press — newspapers
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. press — a publisher
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. patient — a sick person

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