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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. saw — the tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. current — electric
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. current — happening now
  14. tear — from crying
  15. current — of water
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. tear — from crying
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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