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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. craft — a skill
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. fine — all right
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. tear — from crying
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bound — obliged
  12. season — of the year
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bound — tied together
  15. season — in sport
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — a face
  19. craft — boats
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fine — high quality
  22. tear — from crying
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. fine — a penalty

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