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 · mark · content · rash · cap · suit · snap · hand

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rash — hasty
  5. cap — a hat
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cap — of ice
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. hand — help
  12. mark — a grade
  13. hand — in cards
  14. cap — a lid
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. mark — a trace
  17. snap — to click
  18. content — the amount
  19. suit — in cards
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. suit — to fit
  23. content — happy
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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