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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. ground — the earth
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pop — to visit
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mug — a face
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. ground — a position
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mug — a cup
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. game — wild animals
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. ground — crushed
  21. pop — music
  22. game — a match
  23. pop — soda
  24. mug — to rob

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