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: rest · field · kick · pass · rock · patient · rush · cold

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pass — a permit
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. cold — an illness
  9. field — a subject
  10. kick — in football
  11. rest — a break
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. cold — not warm
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rest — what's left
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. rock — a stone
  20. field — for sport
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rest — what's left
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rock — music

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