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: patient · fine · snap · object · board · dip · perch · face

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. perch — the fish
  4. object — an aim
  5. face — part of the head
  6. object — to protest
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. board — a committee
  9. object — a thing
  10. snap — to click
  11. fine — all right
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — to confront
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. dip — to sink
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. board — a flat piece

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