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: mate · rush · craft · wound · patient · wave · toast · rest

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mate — a friend
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. toast — bread
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mate — a partner
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mate — to breed
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. wave — of the sea

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