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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. press — to push
  5. wind — moving air
  6. staff — employees
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. press — a publisher
  9. staff — employees
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. shower — rain
  12. staff — a stick
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. suit — clothes
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. wind — moving air
  17. vault — a safe
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. shower — to wash
  21. press — newspapers
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. suit — to fit
  24. wind — to turn a key

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