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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mate — a partner
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. lean — thin
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — of a word
  14. mate — a friend
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. mate — to breed
  17. root — the cause
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. shower — rain
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. shower — to wash
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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