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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. club — for golf
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bat — the animal
  7. current — of water
  8. stock — goods
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — music
  13. current — happening now
  14. stock — shares
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bore — to drill
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. club — a group
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. swing — to play on
  22. current — electric
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — a series

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