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: patient · rock · pitcher · saw · leaves · lie · fork · cabinet

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rock — music
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. lie — an untruth

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