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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. chest — of your body
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. chest — of your body
  7. rash — a series
  8. fork — in a road
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. chest — a box
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rash — hasty

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