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: hand · land · sharp · patient · kick · cap · rule · rock

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. cap — a hat
  4. rule — government
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. cap — a lid
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. land — a country
  12. cap — of ice
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. land — ground
  17. hand — help
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. rock — music
  21. hand — in cards
  22. land — to come down
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. rock — a stone

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