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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. firm — steady
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bulb — for light
  8. chest — a box
  9. chest — of your body
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. firm — decided
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mine — for digging
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. firm — a company
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. jam — a tight spot

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