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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fine — all right
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. cue — a hint
  5. rush — hurry
  6. scale — in music
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. saw — the tool
  9. charge — electricity
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. cue — for pool
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. charge — a price
  15. cue — a signal
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. scale — size or range
  23. saw — the tool
  24. charge — in control

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