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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. stand — to bear
  6. fine — all right
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. press — a publisher
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. drill — a practice
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. cue — for pool
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. drill — the tool
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fine — high quality
  19. press — to push
  20. drill — army training
  21. season — in sport
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. season — of the year
  24. press — newspapers

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