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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bass — low music
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bass — the fish
  13. prune — to trim
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. prune — to trim

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