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: deal · patient · hide · game · court · trunk · wave · safe

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  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 — calm and waiting
  2. court — of a king
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. court — for sport
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. game — wild animals
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. game — a match
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. court — of law
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. deal — to handle
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. wave — of the sea
  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