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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: foot · press · saw · patient · mine · suit · charge · straw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — for digging
  4. press — to push
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. charge — electricity
  7. suit — in cards
  8. charge — a price
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — to fit
  11. press — newspapers
  12. suit — clothes
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. press — a publisher
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. charge — in control
  19. saw — the tool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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