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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. press — to push
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. rest — what's left
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bat — the animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. staff — a stick
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. press — a publisher
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rest — a break
  20. wax — to grow
  21. staff — employees
  22. press — newspapers
  23. staff — employees
  24. dip — a sauce

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