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 116 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: patient · straw · pitcher · bowl · squash · nail · board · bear

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. squash — to crush
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bear — the animal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. squash — the sport
  10. board — to get on
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. board — a committee
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. patient — a sick person

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