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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. cell — a phone
  3. ground — the earth
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bore — to drill
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ground — crushed
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bear — the animal
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. cell — in biology
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. ground — a position
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. arm — part of the body

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