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: race · season · rest · patient · firm · leaves · rush · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. race — a contest
  3. season — in sport
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. firm — decided
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. lean — to bend
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. race — the arms race
  10. firm — a company
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. firm — steady
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rest — a break
  20. rush — hurry
  21. race — humankind
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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