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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. drill — a practice
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. chip — to eat
  8. kid — to tease
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. fall — to drop
  11. kid — child
  12. chip — for betting
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. drill — army training
  15. fall — the season
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — hurry
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. chair — a leader
  24. fall — to drop

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