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 120 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. present — a gift
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in biology
  7. net — after costs
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rock — a stone
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. present — the time now
  16. mark — a trace
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — thin
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. mark — a grade
  21. net — in sport
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. net — for catching
  24. rock — music

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