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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. pound — a weight
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ball — a dance
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. band — a ring
  10. ball — a great time
  11. pass — a permit
  12. firm — decided
  13. wound — an injury
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. firm — steady
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. wound — an injury
  24. band — a music group

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