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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. current — happening now
  11. game — wild animals
  12. wound — an injury
  13. saw — the tool
  14. game — a match
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. current — electric
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. current — of water
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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