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 120 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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rest — what's left
  9. current — happening now
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. season — of the year
  14. current — of water
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. season — in sport
  21. current — electric
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rest — a break

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