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

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  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. stand — to bear
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. face — part of the head
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. face — to confront
  15. kick — in football
  16. bank — for money
  17. face — to point toward
  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