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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mug — a cup
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. shower — rain
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. row — a line
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. row — to paddle
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. mark — a trace
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mug — to rob
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mark — a grade
  23. tear — from crying
  24. mug — a face

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