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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. content — the amount
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. kid — child
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. content — happy
  14. kid — to tease
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pit — in a race
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pitch — completely

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