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: file · coach · bark · kid · patient · saw · foot · pass

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bark — to shout
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. file — a document
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. file — a line of people
  14. kid — child
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. file — a tool
  21. kid — to tease
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. foot — 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