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 116 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 · scale · pitcher · cabinet · stem · chip · leaves · rush

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rush — hurry
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. scale — in music
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chip — to eat
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. scale — size or range
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. stem — to come from

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