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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. shower — rain
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. club — for dancing
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. shower — to wash
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. kick — in football
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. club — a group
  22. row — a line
  23. bore — to tire
  24. club — for golf

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