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: chest · saw · temple · patient · rash · safe · present · lie

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. chest — of your body
  9. lie — to recline
  10. present — there
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. saw — the tool
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. chest — a box
  16. present — the time now
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. chest — of your body
  20. present — a gift
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — a series
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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