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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hand — help
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pitch — completely
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — size or range
  10. mug — a cup
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. mug — a face
  13. hand — in cards
  14. fork — in a road
  15. scale — in music
  16. mug — to rob
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. stem — to come from
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lean — to bend
  24. patient — a sick person

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