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 116 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: rule · drill · snap · bass · fine · patient · rash · hand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. hand — help
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rash — a series
  7. bass — the fish
  8. rule — government
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. hand — in cards
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. rash — hasty
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. rule — a law
  21. bass — low music
  22. drill — a practice
  23. snap — to click
  24. fine — all right

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