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. The water is too ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. bound — tied together
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bound — certain
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. capital — a city
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bound — obliged
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rock — music
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cold — an illness
  21. rock — a stone
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cue — for pool
  24. capital — money

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