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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: net · plane · patient · cue · pass · lie · cabinet · fork

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — a permit
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fork — in a road
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cue — a hint
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. net — in sport
  18. plane — a tool
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cue — for pool
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. patient — a sick person

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