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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. firm — a company
  4. spring — a coil
  5. firm — steady
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. chip — to eat
  8. mate — a friend
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mate — to breed
  11. field — for sport
  12. club — for golf
  13. mate — a partner
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. club — for dancing
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. firm — decided
  18. field — farmland
  19. field — a subject
  20. spring — of water
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. spring — the season
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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