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: patient · saw · stock · fork · bore · mark · fine · rush

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fine — all right
  3. stock — goods
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stock — shares
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. fine — high quality
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mark — a grade
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bore — to tire
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bore — to drill
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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