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 116 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: deal · bat · drill · bank · dip · patient · bowl · clip

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bank — for money
  11. bat — the animal
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. drill — army training
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bank — for money
  16. dip — to sink
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — to cut
  19. drill — a practice
  20. clip — a video
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bowl — a football 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