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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mine — for digging
  3. bank — for money
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. board — to get on
  7. chest — of your body
  8. bank — of a river
  9. face — to point toward
  10. pit — a hole
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. chest — of your body
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. chest — a box
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bank — for money
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. face — to confront
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. pit — in a race

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