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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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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 · lie · kid · patient · mark · staff · nail · cap

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mark — a grade
  10. staff — a stick
  11. cue — a signal
  12. kid — to tease
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. kid — child
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mark — a trace
  18. cap — a lid
  19. staff — employees
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. staff — employees
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cap — of ice

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