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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — a company
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. firm — decided
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fine — high quality
  11. land — a country
  12. stand — to bear
  13. fine — all right
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. land — to come down
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person

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