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 · lie · wind · coach · track · toast · patient · object

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. object — an aim
  4. track — a path
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. track — a song
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. object — to protest
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wind — moving air
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. track — to keep track
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. object — a thing
  24. wind — moving air

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