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: root · sharp · deal · rash · wave · patient · bowl · racket

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. sharp — clever
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. root — of a word
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. rash — hasty
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rash — a series
  16. root — the cause
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. root — of a plant

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