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: mine · patient · racket · key · row · ruler · snap · squash

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. key — in music
  5. row — to paddle
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. squash — to crush
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. row — a line
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. snap — to click
  22. squash — the sport
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mine — for digging

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