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: lash · mark · patient · foot · saw · pop · mate · nail

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mark — a trace
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pop — music
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mark — a grade
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. foot — a measure
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pop — to visit
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pop — soda
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. saw — the tool
  24. patient — a sick person

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