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: stick · object · wave · clip · bear · patient · fall · pit

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fall — to drop
  4. clip — a video
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. object — an aim
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. object — to protest
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. pit — in a race
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. clip — for paper
  20. object — a thing
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fall — the season
  24. wave — of the sea

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