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 · object · lie · drill · stock · foot · chip · chest

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. drill — army training
  3. object — an aim
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. foot — a measure
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. lie — to recline
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. chest — a box
  11. object — a thing
  12. drill — a practice
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chip — to eat
  20. drill — the tool
  21. chip — for betting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. chest — of your body
  24. object — to protest

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