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: hand · lie · patient · suit · wind · craft · can · wake

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. lie — to recline
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. hand — help
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wind — moving air
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. suit — clothes
  10. can — to be able to
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wind — moving air
  17. craft — boats
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. wake — a trail
  21. hand — in cards
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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