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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — steady
  8. current — electric
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. firm — decided
  11. mate — a friend
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bound — tied together
  14. current — happening now
  15. mate — a partner
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. mate — to breed
  19. pop — music
  20. bound — obliged
  21. kick — in football
  22. current — of water
  23. bound — certain
  24. pop — soda

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