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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. bore — to tire
  4. band — a music group
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. rash — a series
  7. rest — a break
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rest — what's left
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. court — for sport
  13. bore — to drill
  14. band — a ring
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. court — of law
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rash — hasty
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. snap — to click
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. court — of a king

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