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: season · can · snap · wave · fan · patient · stem · rush

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  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. season — to add flavour
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. snap — to click
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — hurry
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. can — a tin
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. season — of the year
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. stem — to come from
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. season — in sport
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. can — a tin
  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