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: mark · rule · rash · patient · bat · march · cue · current

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. march — music
  5. mark — a grade
  6. current — electric
  7. march — the month
  8. current — of water
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. cue — for pool
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bat — the animal
  17. rule — government
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. march — the month
  21. rash — a series
  22. current — happening now
  23. cue — a signal
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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