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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. cell — in biology
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bank — of a river
  5. root — of a plant
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. cue — for pool
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bank — for money
  12. ball — a great time
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. kick — in football
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bank — for money
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. cue — a signal
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — the cause
  24. nail — for a hammer

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