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: wind · hide · craft · track · patient · drill · spring · object

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — a practice
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. object — a thing
  6. wind — moving air
  7. track — a path
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. drill — the tool
  11. spring — a coil
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wind — moving air
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. spring — the season
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. track — to keep track
  23. spring — of water
  24. craft — boats

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