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

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rest — what's left
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. degree — from a university
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. pound — a weight
  14. degree — an amount
  15. band — a ring
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. degree — temperature
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. rest — a break
  24. jam — a tight spot

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