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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. stand — to bear
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rash — a series
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. tube — a container
  10. row — a line
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. row — to paddle
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — shares
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stock — goods
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. tube — in a tire

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