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: nail · patient · fine · roll · face · rash · sharp · wake

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. face — to confront
  9. fine — all right
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rash — hasty
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a cake
  15. sharp — clever
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rash — a series
  19. fine — high quality
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. face — part of the head
  24. wake — a trail

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