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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bank — for money
  4. spring — the season
  5. bank — for money
  6. shower — to wash
  7. spring — of water
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. spring — a coil
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — of law
  14. bank — of a river
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. court — for sport
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. shower — rain

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