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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. season — of the year
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bore — to drill
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. content — happy
  10. rest — what's left
  11. lie — to recline
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. season — in sport
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bore — to tire
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. rest — a break
  24. content — the amount

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