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: court · spell · fan · patient · suit · last · ball · wake

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. last — to go on
  6. spell — a short time
  7. court — for sport
  8. suit — clothes
  9. spell — magic
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. court — of a king
  13. suit — to fit
  14. ball — a dance
  15. wake — a trail
  16. ball — a great time
  17. last — final
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. court — of law
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. last — finally
  23. spell — letters
  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