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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. track — a song
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — to point toward
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. dip — to sink
  12. can — a tin
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. can — a tin
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. face — part of the head
  19. fork — in a road
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. track — a path
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. track — to keep track
  24. patient — a sick person

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