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: chip · saw · nail · mouse · field · temple · patient · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. chip — for betting
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. chip — to eat
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. field — farmland
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — for sport
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bear — the animal

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