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 120 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: deal · pit · fan · saw · patient · nail · bound · ball

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bound — certain
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — obliged
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. saw — the tool
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ball — a great time
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. pit — in a race
  23. deal — to handle
  24. ball — a round shape

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