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 116 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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bore — to drill
  5. hand — in cards
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — to paddle
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. hand — help
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. tube — the underground
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. row — a line
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bore — to tire
  21. tube — a container
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. mouse — the animal

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