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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. last — final
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rest — what's left
  9. band — a music group
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. band — a ring
  12. rest — what's left
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. rest — a break
  16. last — to go on
  17. cold — an illness
  18. cold — not warm
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. last — finally

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