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: wind · rash · field · snap · patient · plane · nail · racket

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. plane — a tool
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. snap — to click
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wind — moving air
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. wind — moving air
  19. field — for sport
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. field — a subject
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — hasty
  24. plane — an aircraft

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