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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wind — moving air
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. cue — for pool
  7. season — in sport
  8. cue — a hint
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. season — of the year
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. squash — the sport
  14. cue — a signal
  15. squash — to crush
  16. wind — moving air
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — low music
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bass — the fish

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