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: tear · net · suit · date · lie · patient · bowl · march

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  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. tear — from crying
  2. net — for catching
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. tear — from crying
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. suit — to fit
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. suit — clothes
  11. march — music
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. march — the month
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. march — the month
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. net — in sport
  19. tear — to rip
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. net — after costs
  23. date — the fruit
  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