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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. chip — for betting
  5. club — a group
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. chip — to eat
  11. file — a document
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. drill — army training
  14. file — a tool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. file — a line of people
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. patient — a sick person

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