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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. season — of the year
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. court — of a king
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. court — for sport
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. court — of law
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pound — a weight
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. foot — a measure
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. squash — the vegetable

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