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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.

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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: drill · band · cue · lie · pass · bark · fan · mate

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. drill — the tool
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pass — a permit
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. mate — a partner
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mate — to breed
  14. drill — a practice
  15. band — a ring
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mate — a friend
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. drill — army training
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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