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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. mark — a trace
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. sharp — clever
  5. stock — goods
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stock — shares
  12. snap — to click
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. net — in sport
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — for catching
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bore — to tire

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