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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bat · leaves · squash · cabinet · clip · patient · wave · face

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bat — the animal
  4. squash — to crush
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. clip — for paper
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. face — part of the head
  19. clip — to cut
  20. face — to point toward
  21. squash — the sport
  22. clip — a video
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. face — to confront

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