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 116 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: stem · leaves · hand · pound · squash · patient · ruler · sharp

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. hand — in cards
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. squash — the sport
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. squash — to crush
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. hand — help
  24. pound — a weight

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