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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. staff — employees
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. content — the amount
  12. staff — a stick
  13. file — a document
  14. content — happy
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. file — a tool
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. squash — the sport
  20. staff — employees
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. file — a line of people

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