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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bear — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. bound — certain
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bear — the animal
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bound — obliged
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — the fish
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bass — low music
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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