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: mouse · mate · drill · patient · wound · press · craft · can

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. press — a publisher
  9. drill — a practice
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mate — to breed
  12. wound — an injury
  13. drill — army training
  14. craft — boats
  15. mate — a friend
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wound — an injury
  19. can — a tin
  20. drill — the tool
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. mate — a partner

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