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: wound · patient · staff · face · cue · band · present · board

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. board — to get on
  5. staff — a stick
  6. cue — a hint
  7. present — the time now
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. face — to point toward
  10. cue — for pool
  11. face — part of the head
  12. present — there
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. face — to confront
  15. wound — an injury
  16. board — a committee
  17. cue — a signal
  18. staff — employees
  19. wound — an injury
  20. band — a music group
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. present — a gift
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a rubber band

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