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: mouse · patient · saw · fall · rest · lash · ruler · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. fall — to drop
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rest — a break
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rest — what's left
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rest — what's left
  24. saw — the tool

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