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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rush — hurry
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. rock — a stone
  7. chest — of your body
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. cold — an illness
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rock — music
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. cold — not warm
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. face — to confront
  23. chest — a box
  24. chest — of your body

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