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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. squash — to crush
  4. mate — to breed
  5. clip — to cut
  6. clip — a video
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. mate — a friend
  10. current — happening now
  11. deal — to handle
  12. current — electric
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pass — a permit
  15. squash — the sport
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. lean — to bend
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. clip — for paper
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. current — of water
  24. patient — a sick person

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