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: wound · stick · nail · bat · patient · net · chest · wave

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. net — in sport
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. net — for catching
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. chest — a box
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. chest — of your body
  18. net — after costs
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bat — the animal
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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