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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. chip — for betting
  8. saw — the tool
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. mate — a partner
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ball — a dance
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. cell — in biology
  17. mate — a friend
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. mate — to breed
  21. saw — the tool
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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