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: pitcher · hand · foot · staff · rash · nail · coach · patient

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. staff — employees
  9. hand — in cards
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. staff — employees
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rash — hasty
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. staff — a stick
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. rash — a series
  22. hand — help
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. foot — a measure

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