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: cold · board · mouse · craft · swing · fan · patient · bore

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  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. craft — boats
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. swing — to play on
  7. craft — a skill
  8. cold — not warm
  9. swing — in golf
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. board — a committee
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bore — to drill
  21. cold — an illness
  22. swing — music
  23. board — to get on
  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