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: saw · patient · content · stock · mark · rush · bass · shower

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. shower — rain
  3. stock — goods
  4. bass — low music
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. shower — to wash
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stock — shares
  10. content — happy
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. content — the amount
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bass — the fish
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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