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

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. face — to confront
  6. face — to point toward
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — in cards
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. face — part of the head
  13. current — of water
  14. march — music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. march — the month
  18. deal — to handle
  19. current — happening now
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. march — the month
  23. current — electric
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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