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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 120 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
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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: patient · row · deal · ball · cabinet · kick · press · coach

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  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. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. press — newspapers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. kick — in football
  7. row — to paddle
  8. press — to push
  9. press — a publisher
  10. ball — a dance
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  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