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 116 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 · pitcher · fork · hide · sharp · plane · stem · pop

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pop — music
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pop — soda
  8. sharp — clever
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pop — to visit
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stem — to come from
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. hide — animal skin

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