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: patient · lash · track · hand · plane · chip · date · ground

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. track — a song
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. track — to keep track
  5. plane — a tool
  6. track — a path
  7. date — the fruit
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. chip — to eat
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — a position
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. hand — in cards
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. hand — help
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. ground — the earth
  24. chip — for betting

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