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: face · mate · suit · calf · shower · racket · patient · game

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. shower — to wash
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mate — a partner
  5. suit — to fit
  6. face — to point toward
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. face — to confront
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. mate — to breed
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. shower — rain
  15. game — wild animals
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. suit — clothes
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. game — a match
  23. mate — a friend
  24. calf — a young animal

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