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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pit · court · patient · fine · press · cabinet · wound · chip

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. press — a publisher
  3. wound — an injury
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. chip — for betting
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — all right
  9. court — of law
  10. court — for sport
  11. pit — a hole
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. pit — in a race
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. court — of a king
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. wound — an injury
  19. chip — to eat
  20. press — to push
  21. press — newspapers
  22. fine — high quality
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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