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: file · hand · lie · can · jam · patient · march · rush

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. file — a line of people
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. file — a tool
  10. march — music
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — help
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. can — a tin
  15. march — the month
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rush — hurry
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. file — a document
  20. march — the month
  21. hand — in cards
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. lie — to recline

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