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: nail · file · pound · wax · cue · patient · drill · ground

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. file — a document
  3. drill — the tool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a tool
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wax — to grow
  12. pound — a weight
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — a position
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. drill — army training
  20. cue — for pool
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. cue — a hint
  23. drill — a practice
  24. ground — the earth

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