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 116 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mate — a friend
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. capital — a city
  6. bank — for money
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — clever
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. bound — tied together
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. capital — money
  15. mate — to breed
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bank — for money
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — obliged
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bank — of a river

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