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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: fine · press · fan · patient · pitch · mark · key · bear

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. press — a publisher
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pitch — completely
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fine — all right
  9. press — newspapers
  10. key — in music
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bear — the animal
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. press — to push
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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