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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. craft — boats
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. craft — a skill
  7. stand — to bear
  8. fine — high quality
  9. press — to push
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. ground — a position
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. snap — to click
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. ground — crushed
  17. fine — all right
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mine — for digging
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — newspapers
  24. mine — an explosive

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