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: fall · chair · patient · hand · suit · lash · wave · track

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. chair — a leader
  3. track — to keep track
  4. fall — the season
  5. suit — to fit
  6. track — a song
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. fall — to drop
  9. hand — help
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. track — a path
  14. hand — in cards
  15. fall — to drop
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. suit — in cards
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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