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: bank · ruler · hide · patient · board · face · leaves · dip

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. dip — to sink
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. board — a committee
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. face — part of the head
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bank — for money
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bank — for money
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. board — to get on
  19. bank — of a river
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. face — to confront
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. dip — to dunk

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