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: fall · patient · nail · ball · craft · hide · hand · bound

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. ball — a dance
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bound — tied together
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bound — obliged
  11. craft — a skill
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fall — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. ball — a great time
  16. fall — to drop
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. hand — help
  20. bound — certain
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. craft — boats
  23. hand — in cards
  24. craft — a handicraft

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