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: file · face · bore · rock · prune · mug · patient · saw

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with 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 — calm and waiting
  3. bore — to drill
  4. face — part of the head
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. prune — to trim
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. rock — music
  10. face — to point toward
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mug — to rob
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — a stone
  16. face — to confront
  17. file — a line of people
  18. mug — a cup
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. file — a document
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mug — a face
  23. bore — to tire
  24. file — a tool

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