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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bound — obliged
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bound — tied together
  5. stock — goods
  6. lie — to recline
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — a measure
  13. pit — in a race
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stock — shares
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pit — a hole
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bound — certain

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