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: cell · nail · rush · present · roll · march · ruler · patient

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. 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. present — there
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. march — music
  7. roll — a list
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cell — in biology
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. march — the month
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. march — the month
  14. present — a gift
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. roll — a cake
  18. rush — hurry
  19. present — the time now
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. cell — a phone
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. 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