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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — of ice
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. club — a group
  6. club — for golf
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. club — for dancing
  10. stock — goods
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. stock — shares
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bat — the animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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