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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. firm — decided
  4. bore — to drill
  5. race — a contest
  6. rock — a stone
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bore — to tire
  10. race — humankind
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. firm — a company
  14. rock — music
  15. firm — steady
  16. plane — a tool
  17. race — the arms race
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. drill — army training
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — a practice

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