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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rash — a series
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. rest — what's left
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. rash — hasty
  9. content — happy
  10. spring — a coil
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. spring — of water
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. spring — the season
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. rest — a break
  21. content — the amount
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rest — what's left

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