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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. face — part of the head
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wake — a trail
  11. face — to confront
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. face — to point toward
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — a division
  21. wound — an injury
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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