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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. staff — employees
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. ground — the earth
  8. rush — hurry
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. key — the most important part
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. staff — employees
  15. mine — for digging
  16. key — in music
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ground — a position
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. ground — crushed
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. staff — a stick

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