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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: pop · patient · pass · bound · drill · plane · present · game

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. pop — to visit
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. present — a gift
  7. bound — tied together
  8. drill — army training
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. pop — music
  11. present — the time now
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — certain
  14. drill — the tool
  15. game — wild animals
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. game — a match
  20. present — there
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. drill — a practice
  23. pop — soda
  24. plane — a tool

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