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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. sharp — clever
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. saw — the tool
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bore — to drill
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bore — to tire
  10. fine — high quality
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. fine — all right
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. press — to push
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pit — in a race
  18. saw — the tool
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. press — newspapers
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pit — a hole

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