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: can · patient · dip · tube · board · fall · rash · bark

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. can — a tin
  3. dip — to sink
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bark — to shout
  7. fall — to drop
  8. tube — a container
  9. fall — the season
  10. rash — hasty
  11. board — a committee
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. can — a tin
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. fall — to drop
  20. tube — the underground
  21. rash — a series
  22. board — to get on
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. patient — a sick person

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