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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. sharp — clever
  6. press — newspapers
  7. spell — letters
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. can — a tin
  13. rush — hurry
  14. press — to push
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. saw — the tool
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. spell — magic
  19. can — a tin
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. can — to be able to
  22. press — a publisher
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — exactly

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