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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bass — the fish
  4. cue — a hint
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mug — to rob
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bass — low music
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bat — the animal
  16. cue — a signal
  17. mug — a face
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mug — a cup
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bat — in an idiom

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