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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. track — to keep track
  3. lean — thin
  4. ball — a great time
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. suit — in cards
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. suit — clothes
  11. track — a song
  12. track — a path
  13. stock — shares
  14. wound — an injury
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wound — an injury
  17. stock — goods
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. lean — to bend
  23. march — the month
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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