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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. suit — to fit
  4. field — a subject
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lie — to recline
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. suit — in cards
  9. face — to confront
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. field — farmland
  12. suit — clothes
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. face — part of the head
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. field — for sport
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. face — to point toward
  24. wake — a trail

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