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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 · current · patient · pass · kid · mark · firm · hide

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. kid — child
  2. current — of water
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. press — to push
  5. firm — decided
  6. mark — a trace
  7. firm — steady
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — electric
  12. kid — to tease
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pass — a permit
  15. firm — a company
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mark — a grade
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. press — newspapers
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pass — to succeed
  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