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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. club — for golf
  4. can — a tin
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lie — to recline
  7. scale — in music
  8. club — a group
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a music group
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. mark — a grade
  16. club — for dancing
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. scale — size or range
  22. can — a tin
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mark — a trace

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