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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lie — to recline
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a list
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. ground — crushed
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. toast — bread
  16. ground — a position
  17. roll — a cake
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. ground — the earth
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. club — for dancing
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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