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: rush · ball · present · net · current · patient · fine · press

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. ball — a great time
  5. present — a gift
  6. press — newspapers
  7. rush — hurry
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fine — all right
  10. present — the time now
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. net — for catching
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. current — happening now
  15. press — to push
  16. present — there
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. press — a publisher
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. current — electric
  22. fine — high quality
  23. net — in sport
  24. current — of water

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