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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. lie — to recline
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. roll — a cake
  7. capital — money
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. capital — a city
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. mug — to rob
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. mug — a cup
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mug — a face
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. roll — a list

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