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: mate · fan · suit · patient · stock · kid · swing · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. mate — a partner
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. swing — music
  6. suit — to fit
  7. kid — child
  8. stock — goods
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. mate — to breed
  12. swing — to play on
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bear — the animal
  15. swing — in golf
  16. stock — shares
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bear — the animal
  21. kid — to tease
  22. mate — a friend
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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