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 120 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. drill — army training
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. drill — a practice
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. pit — in a race
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. file — a line of people
  11. row — to paddle
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. file — a document
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. drill — the tool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. row — a line
  24. file — a tool

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