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: file · patient · bear · court · wave · craft · mug · season

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mug — to rob
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. mug — a cup
  9. file — a tool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. craft — a skill
  12. court — of a king
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. season — of the year
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a line of people
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. season — in sport
  20. court — for sport
  21. craft — boats
  22. court — of law
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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