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: mouse · temple · drill · vault · bat · saw · pitcher · patient

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. drill — the tool
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. vault — a safe
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bat — the animal
  18. drill — a practice
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. drill — army training
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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