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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fall — to drop
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. object — to protest
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mate — a partner
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. face — to confront
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. mate — to breed
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. face — to point toward
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pass — a permit
  21. lie — to recline
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. fall — the season
  24. mate — a friend

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