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

Word bank: row · plane · fine · fan · patient · date · bark · temple

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. row — to paddle
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. row — a line
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. fine — all right
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. date — the fruit
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. temple — side of the head

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