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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: drill · fine · lean · fan · cabinet · patient · kid · present

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. fine — all right
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. kid — child
  8. kid — to tease
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. lean — thin
  14. present — a gift
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. present — there
  21. lean — to bend
  22. present — the time now
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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