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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lean — to bend
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. wind — moving air
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a ring
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. band — a music group
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. bear — the animal
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. track — a song
  22. foot — a measure
  23. track — to keep track
  24. lean — thin

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