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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: spell · jam · press · patient · bore · pit · ball · fine

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. spell — magic
  4. press — to push
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fine — high quality
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. press — a publisher
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bore — to drill
  12. fine — all right
  13. bore — to tire
  14. press — newspapers
  15. ball — a dance
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — a short time
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. fine — a penalty

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