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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. spring — of water
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a great time
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. march — the month
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. march — music
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. track — a song
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. track — a path
  18. track — to keep track
  19. spring — a coil
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. spring — the season
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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