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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rest — what's left
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. present — a gift
  7. swing — music
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. present — the time now
  13. rest — a break
  14. swing — to play on
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. saw — the tool
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. swing — in golf
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — a measure
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. present — there

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