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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. chair — a leader
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. scale — in music
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. toast — bread
  24. scale — size or range

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