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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. press — newspapers
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. press — to push
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wake — a trail
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. file — a tool
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. file — a document
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. press — a publisher
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. deal — to handle
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. file — a line of people

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