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: nail · patient · ball · leaves · saw · cabinet · field · pass

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. ball — a great time
  3. field — a subject
  4. ball — a dance
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. field — for sport
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. saw — the tool
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. field — farmland
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. nail — on a finger

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