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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. tear — to rip
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bore — to tire
  9. fine — high quality
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bore — to drill
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. tear — from crying
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. fine — all right
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — a weight
  23. tear — from crying
  24. fine — a penalty

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