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: spring · deal · patient · object · rock · mark · craft · pass

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. craft — a skill
  6. spring — the season
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spring — of water
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mark — a grade
  12. object — an aim
  13. mark — a trace
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rock — music
  17. pass — a permit
  18. craft — boats
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — a stone
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. object — a thing
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. object — to protest

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