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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pass — a permit
  4. rule — a law
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — a contest
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pitch — completely
  11. rule — government
  12. firm — steady
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. branch — a division
  15. firm — a company
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. race — the arms race
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. firm — decided
  21. cold — an illness
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. cold — not warm
  24. branch — of a tree

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