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: firm · racket · patient · saw · wave · bank · chest · rash

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  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. bank — of a river
  2. rash — a series
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. firm — steady
  5. saw — the tool
  6. chest — a box
  7. firm — decided
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. firm — a company
  10. chest — of your body
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. saw — the tool
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bank — for money
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. chest — of your body
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rash — hasty
  23. bank — for money
  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