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: kick · mark · mine · hide · patient · stick · net · mate

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mate — to breed
  3. kick — in football
  4. net — in sport
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. mark — a trace
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mate — a friend
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. net — for catching
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. net — after costs
  22. mate — a partner
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. hide — animal skin

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