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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. craft — boats
  7. cell — in biology
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. sharp — clever
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. shower — rain
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. shower — to wash
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — a skill
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. cell — a phone
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. wave — with your hand

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