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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. firm — decided
  4. fall — the season
  5. wind — moving air
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fall — to drop
  10. branch — a division
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. firm — a company
  13. game — a match
  14. fall — to drop
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wind — moving air
  18. firm — steady
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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