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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. firm — decided
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. last — finally
  11. firm — a company
  12. lean — to bend
  13. degree — an amount
  14. cap — of ice
  15. degree — from a university
  16. lean — thin
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. cap — a hat
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. degree — temperature
  21. snap — to click
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. last — final
  24. firm — steady

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