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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. roll — on a roll
  2. season — in sport
  3. ground — the earth
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. roll — a cake
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. roll — a list
  8. ground — a position
  9. staff — employees
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. season — of the year
  16. prune — to trim
  17. staff — employees
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. ground — crushed
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. staff — a stick
  23. prune — to trim
  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