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 · branch · stand · lash · mug · drill · rest · pass

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rest — what's left
  6. drill — a practice
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. drill — army training
  9. branch — a division
  10. mug — to rob
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pass — a permit
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. stand — to bear
  24. branch — of a bank

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