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: rush · bear · kid · lie · lean · deal · patient · board

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. kid — child
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. board — to get on
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. kid — to tease
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — thin
  17. lie — to recline
  18. board — a committee
  19. deal — to handle
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rush — hurry
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. lie — an untruth

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