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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: cue · chip · deal · bound · date · patient · hand · pass

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bound — tied together
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bound — obliged
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. hand — help
  9. chip — to eat
  10. cue — a hint
  11. hand — in cards
  12. bound — certain
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. deal — to handle
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pass — a permit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. pass — to succeed

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