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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. current — happening now
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mate — a friend
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. cold — an illness
  12. cold — not warm
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. current — electric
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. mate — a partner
  21. current — of water
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. deal — to handle

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