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: race · patient · wind · temple · press · toast · stand · chip

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. chip — for betting
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wind — moving air
  8. press — newspapers
  9. race — the arms race
  10. chip — to eat
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. toast — bread
  13. race — a contest
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. press — to push
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. race — humankind
  21. wind — moving air
  22. stand — to bear
  23. press — a publisher
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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