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 120 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: cell · press · capital · mate · lie · safe · deal · patient

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mate — to breed
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. capital — a city
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. lie — to recline
  12. cell — a phone
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mate — a partner
  16. press — a publisher
  17. cell — in biology
  18. capital — money
  19. press — newspapers
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. mate — a friend
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. press — to push

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