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: press · lie · firm · calf · face · patient · cabinet · squash

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  2. press — to push
  3. lie — to recline
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. face — part of the head
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. press — newspapers
  11. firm — steady
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — a company
  16. squash — the sport
  17. face — to point toward
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. press — a publisher
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. squash — to crush
  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