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

Word bank: patient · object · wake · fine · fork · cap · present · saw

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. saw — the tool
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. cap — a lid
  5. fork — in a road
  6. cap — a hat
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — there
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — an aim
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. fine — all right
  18. present — a gift
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cap — of ice
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. object — a thing
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fork — to eat with

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