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: object · lash · patient · snap · mug · key · fork · lean

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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. lean — thin
  4. key — in music
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. snap — to click
  9. key — the most important part
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. object — a thing
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. fork — in a road
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mug — a face
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mug — to rob

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