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: hand · patient · root · mouse · band · cabinet · mate · coach

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. root — of a word
  5. hand — help
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. band — a music group
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. band — a ring
  13. mate — a friend
  14. root — the cause
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. hand — in cards
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mate — to breed
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. root — of a plant
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mate — a partner

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