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 120 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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wind — moving air
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rush — hurry
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — high quality
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — exactly

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