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 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.

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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. chest — a box
  4. net — for catching
  5. chest — of your body
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. net — after costs
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. squash — the sport
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. net — in sport
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. squash — to crush
  16. pitch — completely
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. chair — a leader
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. chest — of your body

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