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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. key — in music
  3. face — part of the head
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. swing — to play on
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. face — to point toward
  15. can — a tin
  16. swing — in golf
  17. can — a tin
  18. mine — for digging
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. suit — to fit
  21. can — to be able to
  22. face — to confront
  23. swing — music
  24. fan — to cool the air

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