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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ground — crushed
  5. rest — a break
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cap — a hat
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — a weight
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. ground — a position
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. season — in sport
  17. cap — a lid
  18. ground — the earth
  19. chair — a leader
  20. rest — what's left
  21. season — of the year
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. patient — a sick person

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