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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. fine — all right
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mine — for digging
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. fine — high quality
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. ball — a dance
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. wax — to grow

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