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: firm · rest · cue · pop · patient · saw · bat · rush

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. cue — a signal
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. firm — steady
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — music
  11. rest — what's left
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pop — soda
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. cue — for pool
  16. firm — a company
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rest — a break
  21. saw — the tool
  22. firm — decided
  23. rest — what's left
  24. saw — the 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