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: patient · tear · kick · cue · ruler · perch · mug · last

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. tear — from crying
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cue — a signal
  9. tear — to rip
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. perch — the fish
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. mug — to rob
  16. last — to go on
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. kick — in football
  19. mug — a cup
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. last — finally
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. tear — from crying
  24. last — final

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