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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. spell — letters
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. tear — from crying
  8. face — to confront
  9. tear — to rip
  10. firm — steady
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. tear — from crying
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. face — to point toward
  19. spell — a short time
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. spell — magic
  23. firm — decided
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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