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 · rush · snap · hide · root · fall · lean · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rush — hurry
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. snap — to click
  8. lean — to bend
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. root — the cause
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fall — to drop
  14. root — of a plant
  15. fall — the season
  16. lean — thin
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bound — obliged
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. root — of a word
  23. bound — certain
  24. hide — to keep secret

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