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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. spell — magic
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. spell — letters
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. court — of a king
  11. bank — of a river
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mine — for digging
  15. court — for sport
  16. bank — for money
  17. rock — music
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bank — for money
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. court — of law

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