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

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. spell — letters
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. season — in sport
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. season — of the year
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. spell — magic
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. spell — a short time
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. sharp — clever
  23. current — happening now
  24. season — to add flavour

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