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: bound · coach · mouse · wound · rush · firm · capital · patient

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — tied together
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. capital — a city
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rush — hurry
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. firm — a company
  18. capital — money
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bound — certain
  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