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: tear · dip · mouse · vault · patient · ground · rule · drill

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. drill — army training
  3. ground — crushed
  4. rule — a law
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. vault — a safe
  7. ground — a position
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — from crying
  10. dip — to sink
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. drill — a practice
  13. ground — the earth
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. tear — to rip
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. drill — the tool
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. dip — to dunk

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