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 120 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: patient · stand · rest · rush · fine · bat · mark · firm

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fine — all right
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. firm — a company
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. firm — decided
  13. bat — the animal
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rest — a break
  17. fine — high quality
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. firm — steady
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bat — in an idiom

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