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: racket · nail · sharp · patient · row · present · wave · object

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. object — a thing
  7. present — a gift
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — there
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. sharp — clever
  15. row — a line
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. row — to paddle
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. object — an aim
  24. row — a quarrel

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