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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. file — a document
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stock — shares
  9. board — to get on
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. file — a line of people
  12. present — there
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — the time now
  15. stock — goods
  16. file — a tool
  17. row — to paddle
  18. board — a committee
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. wound — an injury
  24. board — a flat piece

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