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: spring · object · straw · patient · press · mark · bore · bound

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. spring — of water
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bound — obliged
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bore — to drill
  7. press — a publisher
  8. mark — a grade
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. press — newspapers
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. object — a thing
  14. spring — a coil
  15. object — an aim
  16. bound — tied together
  17. object — to protest
  18. bound — certain
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. mark — a trace
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. press — to push
  23. bore — to tire
  24. spring — the season

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