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: bass · racket · patient · charge · rush · arm · shower · rock

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. charge — electricity
  7. shower — to wash
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bass — the fish
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. rock — a stone
  13. shower — rain
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rock — music
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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