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: roll · face · bark · bowl · patient · suit · mate · net

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — in sport
  11. face — to point toward
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mate — to breed
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mate — a friend
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. face — to confront
  20. roll — a cake
  21. net — for catching
  22. roll — a list
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. face — part of the head

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