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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. track — to keep track
  3. spell — a short time
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bore — to tire
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. cue — for pool
  12. swing — to play on
  13. track — a path
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bore — to drill
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. spell — magic
  19. swing — music
  20. cue — a signal
  21. track — a song
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bear — the animal
  24. spell — letters

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