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: patient · bay · rest · cue · present · mate · race · saw

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. present — the time now
  3. race — the arms race
  4. saw — the tool
  5. race — a contest
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rest — what's left
  8. present — there
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. cue — a signal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. race — humankind
  21. present — a gift
  22. rest — a break
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. rest — what's left

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