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: bay · leaves · drill · tear · rush · pitch · hide · patient

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. drill — a practice
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. tear — from crying
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — to rip
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rush — hurry
  20. drill — army training
  21. pitch — completely
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. hide — animal skin

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