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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. sharp — clever
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bound — certain
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. track — a path
  11. fine — high quality
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. track — a song
  16. row — a line
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bound — obliged
  19. kick — in football
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fine — all right
  22. bound — tied together
  23. track — to keep track
  24. kick — with a leg

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