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: nail · stick · toast · wound · saw · leaves · rash · patient

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. rash — a series
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wound — an injury
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. toast — bread
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rash — hasty
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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