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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. shower — to wash
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. cap — of ice
  6. pitch — completely
  7. cap — a hat
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. firm — a company
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. firm — decided
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. cap — a lid
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. shower — rain
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. lie — to recline
  23. firm — steady
  24. 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