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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ground — the earth
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — in a road
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ground — crushed
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. current — electric
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. band — a ring
  12. bore — to drill
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. current — of water
  15. pop — music
  16. band — a music group
  17. pop — soda
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bore — to tire
  21. current — happening now
  22. ground — a position
  23. bore — gave birth
  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