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 120 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: cue · mark · bound · bear · plane · present · wind · patient

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cue — a signal
  4. present — a gift
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bound — certain
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bound — tied together
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. present — the time now
  17. plane — a tool
  18. wind — moving air
  19. cue — for pool
  20. wind — moving air
  21. present — there
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mark — a grade

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