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: ruler · patient · drill · cell · current · band

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. current — happening now
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. current — of water
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. band — a ring
  8. cell — a phone
  9. current — electric
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cell — in biology
  13. drill — a practice
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. drill — the tool
  17. band — a music group
  18. ruler — for measuring

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