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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bore — to tire
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mug — a face
  6. object — an aim
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bore — to drill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mug — a cup
  19. sharp — clever
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. object — to protest
  23. mark — a grade
  24. object — a thing

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