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: bore · rush · pass · patient · arm · capital · chip · cue

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. chip — for betting
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bore — to drill
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — for pool
  17. capital — a city
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pass — a permit
  23. capital — money
  24. arm — a part of something

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