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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. present — there
  4. wound — an injury
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. current — electric
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a lid
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cap — a hat
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. present — the time now
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. firm — decided
  16. current — happening now
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. firm — steady
  19. present — a gift
  20. bat — the animal
  21. current — of water
  22. firm — a company
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. wound — an injury

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