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 transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. spell — a short time
  3. drill — a practice
  4. spell — letters
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bat — the animal
  7. vault — a safe
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. track — to keep track
  10. drill — the tool
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. chip — to eat
  13. track — a path
  14. spell — magic
  15. track — a song
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. drill — army training
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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