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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. suit — clothes
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. race — a contest
  7. current — of water
  8. cell — a phone
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — humankind
  11. current — happening now
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. deal — to handle
  14. current — electric
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. cell — in biology
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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