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: kick · date · net · nail · mark · patient · lean · face

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. face — part of the head
  4. lean — to bend
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. net — in sport
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — thin
  12. net — after costs
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. net — for catching
  18. kick — in football
  19. face — to point toward
  20. date — the fruit
  21. mark — a trace
  22. face — to confront
  23. mark — a grade
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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