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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. field — farmland
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. firm — steady
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. object — a thing
  13. stock — shares
  14. firm — a company
  15. object — an aim
  16. stock — goods
  17. roll — a list
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. roll — a cake
  20. field — for sport
  21. field — a subject
  22. firm — decided
  23. object — to protest
  24. roll — on a roll

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