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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ball — a great time
  5. plane — a tool
  6. spell — magic
  7. wake — a trail
  8. march — the month
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. ball — a dance
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. march — music
  13. ground — a position
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. spell — letters
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. spell — a short time
  21. ground — crushed
  22. stem — to come from
  23. march — the month
  24. ball — a round shape

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