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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. foot — a measure
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bass — low music
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. file — a document
  8. suit — clothes
  9. file — a tool
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. suit — to fit
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. file — a line of people
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. suit — in cards

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