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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. face — to confront
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. face — to point toward
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fork — in a road
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. face — part of the head
  17. date — the fruit
  18. wake — a trail
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. ball — a great time
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ball — a dance

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