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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. squash — the sport
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. fine — high quality
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — steady
  8. squash — to crush
  9. fine — all right
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. net — in sport
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. wind — moving air
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. net — for catching
  17. firm — decided
  18. fork — in a road
  19. wind — moving air
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. object — to protest
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. net — after costs
  24. fork — a garden tool

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