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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. spell — letters
  4. rest — a break
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. file — a document
  11. spell — magic
  12. rest — what's left
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. rest — what's left
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pass — a permit
  21. squash — the sport
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. spell — a short time

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