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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. last — to go on
  4. staff — employees
  5. game — a match
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. last — final
  8. key — in music
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. game — wild animals
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a word
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. staff — employees
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. ball — a dance
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. root — of a plant
  22. ball — a great time
  23. staff — a stick
  24. patient — a sick person

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