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 116 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. track — a song
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — magic
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — soda
  17. track — to keep track
  18. ground — crushed
  19. tube — a container
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ground — a position
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. track — a path

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