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 120 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. swing — in golf
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. present — there
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rush — hurry
  11. swing — music
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. swing — to play on
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. prune — to trim
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. present — the time now
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wave — of the sea

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