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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. snap — to click
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. firm — a company
  10. lie — to recline
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. firm — steady
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. firm — decided
  21. kick — in football
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. pitcher — a jug

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