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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
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: clip · drill · patient · fan · cue · pass · fine · lie

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. clip — a video
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. drill — the tool
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. clip — for paper
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. clip — to cut
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. drill — army training
  12. pass — a permit
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. drill — a practice
  15. cue — a hint
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fine — high quality
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. cue — for pool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fine — all right

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