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: lie · sharp · fan · patient · land · pitcher · bowl · ruler

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. land — ground
  7. lie — to recline
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. land — a country
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. land — to come down
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. fan — to cool the air

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