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 · root · suit · wake · arm · patient · rush · drill

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rest — a break
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. root — of a plant
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rush — hurry
  9. drill — a practice
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. rest — what's left
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. root — the cause
  19. drill — army training
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. root — of a word
  23. suit — clothes
  24. drill — 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