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 116 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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wound — an injury
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. plane — a tool
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mate — a partner
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mate — to breed
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. tube — a container
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mate — a friend
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cap — a hat
  17. tube — the underground
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wound — an injury
  21. cap — a lid
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. straw — dry grass

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