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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. shower — to wash
  5. rule — government
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. net — in sport
  8. race — a contest
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. race — the arms race
  13. net — after costs
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. shower — rain
  19. bore — to tire
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. race — humankind
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. rule — a law

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