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 · file · lie · pit · wind · deal · mate · court

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. court — for sport
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. mate — to breed
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. lie — to recline
  7. file — a line of people
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wind — moving air
  10. file — a tool
  11. mate — a partner
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. court — of law
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. file — a document
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pit — in a race
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wind — moving air
  22. deal — to handle
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. court — of a king

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