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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. net — after costs
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. swing — music
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bore — to drill
  7. swing — in golf
  8. net — for catching
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. plane — a tool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mark — a trace
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bore — to tire
  16. suit — clothes
  17. net — in sport
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. hand — in cards
  20. mark — a grade
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. swing — to play on
  23. hand — help
  24. suit — in cards

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