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: patient · rule · jam · racket · bore · land · trunk · stand

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bore — to drill
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. stand — to bear
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. land — to come down
  9. bore — to tire
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. land — a country
  21. land — ground
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. trunk — of a car

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