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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mate — a friend
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ground — a position
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. swing — music
  8. pop — music
  9. row — to paddle
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. row — a line
  12. vault — a safe
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pop — soda
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. swing — in golf
  18. pop — to visit
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. swing — to play on
  22. ground — the earth
  23. mate — a partner
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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