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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a match
  4. race — the arms race
  5. root — of a plant
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. root — the cause
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — finally
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. last — final
  12. race — a contest
  13. race — humankind
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bore — to tire
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bore — to drill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. root — of a word

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