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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. last — finally
  3. snap — to click
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. shower — rain
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. shower — to wash
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. last — to go on
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — army training
  15. bore — to drill
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. drill — the tool
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bore — to tire
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. last — final

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