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: fan · cap · hide · mouse · patient · coach · row · mate

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cap — a hat
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mate — a friend
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. row — to paddle
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mate — to breed
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. row — a line
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mate — a partner
  20. cap — a lid
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. cap — of ice
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mouse — for a computer

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