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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. last — final
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. staff — a stick
  5. clip — for paper
  6. tube — the underground
  7. staff — employees
  8. stand — to bear
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. last — finally
  13. rule — government
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. clip — a video
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. tube — a container
  18. staff — employees
  19. clip — to cut
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. rule — a law
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. last — to go on

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