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: pit · rash · drill · arm · chip · bear · toast · patient

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  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. bear — to put up with
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. pit — a hole
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. toast — bread
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — hasty
  13. drill — the tool
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. drill — army training
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. drill — a practice
  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