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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. face — to point toward
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. hand — help
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. face — to confront
  11. hand — in cards
  12. face — part of the head
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rest — what's left
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. rest — a break
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rest — what's left
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. jam — a tight spot

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