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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. current — of water
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. current — happening now
  6. clip — a video
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. clip — to cut
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. row — to paddle
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bass — the fish
  15. clip — for paper
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — in football
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bass — low music
  21. current — electric
  22. row — a line
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. kick — a thrill

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