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: stand · lash · patient · tear · lean · pitcher · court · drill

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lean — thin
  4. court — of law
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. court — for sport
  9. tear — from crying
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. tear — to rip
  13. drill — the tool
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. drill — a practice
  16. lean — to bend
  17. stand — to bear
  18. drill — army training
  19. court — of a king
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. patient — a sick person

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