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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. drill — army training
  5. staff — employees
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wound — an injury
  8. drill — the tool
  9. wound — an injury
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. land — a country
  15. bark — to shout
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. drill — a practice
  20. toast — bread
  21. land — to come down
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. land — ground
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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