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 116 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 · cabinet · pit · lean · content · hide · sharp · pound

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pit — a hole
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. content — the amount
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lean — to bend
  16. content — happy
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. pound — a weight
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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