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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. spell — letters
  3. pit — in a race
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pop — soda
  6. board — a committee
  7. mark — a grade
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pop — music
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pop — to visit
  16. spell — magic
  17. board — to get on
  18. mate — a friend
  19. ball — a dance
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mark — a trace
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. spell — a short time
  24. board — a flat piece

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