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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. land — ground
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. can — a tin
  6. scale — size or range
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. land — a country
  9. ground — the earth
  10. capital — money
  11. row — a line
  12. land — to come down
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. can — a tin
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. can — to be able to
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. ground — crushed
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. ground — a position
  24. capital — a city

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