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: rock · content · chest · tear · foot · patient · object · fine

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. chest — a box
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. content — the amount
  7. rock — music
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. rock — a stone
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — to protest
  12. content — happy
  13. object — an aim
  14. tear — to rip
  15. foot — a measure
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fine — all right
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — from crying
  21. fine — high quality
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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