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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. club — a group
  5. band — a ring
  6. club — for golf
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. club — for dancing
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. band — a music group
  23. foot — a measure
  24. chip — to eat

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