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 124 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. key — for a lock
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. roll — a list
  6. club — for golf
  7. board — a committee
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. cell — a phone
  10. key — the most important part
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. board — to get on
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cell — in biology
  18. fork — in a road
  19. roll — a cake
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. key — in music
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. club — for dancing
  24. fork — a garden tool

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