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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. tube — a container
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. key — for a lock
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. present — a gift
  17. stand — to bear
  18. present — there
  19. key — in music
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wind — moving air
  22. present — the time now
  23. pit — a hole
  24. key — the most important part

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