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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
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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: kid · drill · jam · cue · can · press · lie · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. kid — to tease
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. drill — a practice
  7. cue — for pool
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. drill — army training
  10. press — a publisher
  11. can — a tin
  12. press — newspapers
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. can — a tin
  17. drill — the tool
  18. kid — child
  19. press — to push
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. lie — to recline

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