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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · patient · stand · object · toast · tear

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. object — to protest
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. toast — bread
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. tear — to rip
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. object — a thing
  15. tear — from crying
  16. object — an aim
  17. tear — from crying
  18. patient — calm and waiting

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