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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. row — to paddle
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. key — the most important part
  14. season — in sport
  15. row — a line
  16. season — of the year
  17. chip — for betting
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bore — to drill
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. chip — to eat
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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