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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. root — of a word
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mug — to rob
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fine — all right
  8. ball — a dance
  9. season — of the year
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a song
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mug — a cup
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. track — a path
  17. lie — to recline
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. mug — a face
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. root — of a plant
  22. season — in sport
  23. root — the cause
  24. patient — a sick person

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