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 120 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: ruler · fan · content · mouse · hide · sharp · cue · patient

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. content — happy
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. content — the amount
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. sharp — clever
  10. cue — a signal
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. cue — for pool
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mouse — the animal

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