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: patient · suit · rush · bore · board · row · face · chair

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. face — part of the head
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. row — a line
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bore — to drill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. board — a committee
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. row — to paddle
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rush — hurry
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — a leader
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. board — to get on
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. face — to confront
  23. bore — to tire
  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