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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. net — in sport
  3. face — to confront
  4. net — for catching
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. net — after costs
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stem — to come from
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. kick — in football
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. leaves — 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