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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 116 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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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: pass · stand · patient · net · rule · pit · lash · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pit — a hole
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rule — a law
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. net — after costs
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. net — in sport
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. cue — for pool
  13. pass — a permit
  14. stand — to bear
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pit — in a race
  18. net — for catching
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rule — government
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. stand — for spectators

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