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

Word bank: bound · mug · rash · craft · leaves · patient · club · ball

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rash — a series
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. club — for dancing
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bound — obliged
  9. club — for golf
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mug — a cup
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mug — a face
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. rash — hasty
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — certain
  23. craft — boats
  24. club — a group

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