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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: season · patient · press · craft · firm · can · key · current

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. press — a publisher
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. craft — boats
  9. can — to be able to
  10. current — happening now
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. current — electric
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. press — newspapers
  16. key — the most important part
  17. firm — decided
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. firm — steady
  21. current — of water
  22. season — in sport
  23. firm — a company
  24. press — to push

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