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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. craft — a skill
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. season — in sport
  7. snap — to click
  8. bore — to tire
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. bore — to drill
  19. key — the most important part
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. craft — boats
  24. stand — to bear

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