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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wake — a trail
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. fine — all right
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. degree — an amount
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bank — for money
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bank — for money
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — from a university
  20. bank — of a river
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — completely
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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