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: ground · face · patient · fan · racket · bore · bay · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. ground — a position
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. face — part of the head
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. face — to confront
  18. bore — to drill
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. face — to point toward
  22. ground — the earth
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fan — a supporter

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