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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. craft — boats
  4. chip — for betting
  5. court — of law
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. court — for sport
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. court — of a king
  16. wind — moving air
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. craft — a skill
  22. wind — moving air
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. lie — an untruth

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