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: rash · drill · plane · net · chip · cabinet · foot · patient

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. chip — for betting
  3. plane — a tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. drill — a practice
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. foot — a measure
  14. net — after costs
  15. rash — a series
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rash — hasty
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. net — for catching

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