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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. firm — a company
  12. land — to come down
  13. saw — the tool
  14. deal — to handle
  15. track — a path
  16. land — a country
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. track — to keep track
  19. tear — from crying
  20. track — a song
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. press — a publisher
  23. land — ground
  24. firm — steady

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