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: rock · content · toast · pitcher · rule · trunk · patient · nail

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. toast — bread
  7. rule — a law
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. content — the amount
  11. rule — government
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. rock — a stone
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rock — music
  21. content — happy
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. rule — to rule out

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