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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. tear — to rip
  8. firm — decided
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. firm — a company
  12. tear — from crying
  13. dip — to sink
  14. firm — steady
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. tear — from crying

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