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: prune · kick · nail · patient · sharp · pitcher · firm · wave

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. kick — in football
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. firm — steady
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. firm — decided
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. sharp — clever
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. nail — for a hammer

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