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: plane · mate · last · patient · drill · rush · hide · coach

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rush — hurry
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mate — to breed
  8. last — finally
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. plane — a tool
  12. last — to go on
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — a partner
  16. last — final
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. drill — army training
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. drill — the tool
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. drill — a practice

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