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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. present — there
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. present — the time now
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — a country
  11. present — a gift
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. land — ground
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. wake — a trail

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