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: chair · drill · craft · chip · patient · arm · kid · vault

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — army training
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. chair — a leader
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. kid — to tease
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. drill — a practice
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. craft — a skill
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. vault — a safe
  19. chip — for betting
  20. craft — boats
  21. chip — to eat
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. kid — child

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