ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

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
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rush — hurry
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bank — for money
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rash — a series
  7. bank — for money
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rash — hasty
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. wax — to grow
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bank — of a river
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. racket — for tennis

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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