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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. charge — a price
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bank — for money
  14. dip — to sink
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bank — for money
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — electricity

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