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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. last — to go on
  4. suit — clothes
  5. last — final
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bass — low music
  10. hand — help
  11. key — for a lock
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bass — the fish
  14. last — finally
  15. key — in music
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. hand — in cards
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. track — a song
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. patient — a sick person

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