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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bark — to shout
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. key — in music
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. key — for a lock
  16. fine — high quality
  17. craft — a skill
  18. key — the most important part
  19. fine — all right
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. craft — boats
  23. stem — to come from
  24. craft — a handicraft

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