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: temple · suit · tear · pitcher · patient · hide · kick · kid

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. kick — in football
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. kid — child
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. tear — to rip
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. suit — clothes
  12. tear — from crying
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. tear — from crying
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. kid — to tease
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. suit — in cards
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. suit — to fit
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. patient — a sick person

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