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: ruler · rush · stick · snap · dip · shower · patient · kick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. shower — to wash
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. shower — rain
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. kick — in football
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rush — hurry
  18. snap — to click
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  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