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: drill · patient · rest · fine · chest · can · plane · net

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. drill — the tool
  3. can — to be able to
  4. drill — a practice
  5. net — in sport
  6. fine — all right
  7. rest — what's left
  8. can — a tin
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fine — high quality
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. chest — a box
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. drill — army training
  16. chest — of your body
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. net — for catching
  19. can — a tin
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. net — after costs

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