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 120 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: row · rash · pitch · fan · patient · hand · tube · suit

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rash — hasty
  4. row — a line
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. rash — a series
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. row — to paddle
  12. hand — help
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. tube — a container
  19. hand — in cards
  20. tube — the underground
  21. suit — clothes
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. pitch — completely
  24. hand — part of the body

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