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: cue · patient · rush · bore · spring · wound · squash · rock

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. rush — hurry
  3. spring — the season
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bore — to drill
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. squash — the sport
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bore — to tire
  11. cue — a hint
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. rock — music
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cue — for pool
  24. spring — of water

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