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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fall — the season
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. track — to keep track
  9. fall — to drop
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. track — a song
  13. kick — in football
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. sharp — clever
  17. track — a path
  18. wake — a trail
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. fall — to drop
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. chair — a leader
  24. wake — before a funeral

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