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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. march — the month
  3. shower — rain
  4. stand — to bear
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. race — the arms race
  8. shower — to wash
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chest — of your body
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. chest — of your body
  16. race — humankind
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. march — music
  19. race — a contest
  20. march — the month
  21. chest — a box
  22. plane — a tool
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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