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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. ground — the earth
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ground — crushed
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — government
  16. capital — a city
  17. bass — the fish
  18. capital — money
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. toast — bread
  22. ground — a position
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of a tree

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