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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
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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: snap · hide · fine · patient · roll · date · rock · clip

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. fine — high quality
  6. roll — a list
  7. rock — music
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. date — the fruit
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fine — all right
  21. clip — a video
  22. clip — to cut
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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