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: kick · stem · cabinet · leaves · drill · patient · mouse · press

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — a practice
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. press — a publisher
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. kick — in football
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. press — to push
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. press — newspapers
  20. stem — to come from
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. drill — the tool

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