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: cabinet · toast · ball · lean · hand · rule · wave · patient

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. lean — thin
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. lean — to bend
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. hand — in cards
  13. ball — a great time
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — help
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. ball — a dance
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. toast — bread
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. rule — a law
  24. cabinet — ministers

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