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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. game — wild animals
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. squash — to crush
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. squash — the sport
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. game — a match
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. stock — shares
  24. patient — a sick person

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