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 stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. scale — in music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. drill — army training
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. drill — the tool
  15. face — part of the head
  16. scale — size or range
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bat — the animal
  21. sharp — clever
  22. foot — a measure
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. foot — part of the body

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