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 116 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. tube — the underground
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. staff — employees
  8. race — a contest
  9. squash — the sport
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. pop — music
  13. ball — a great time
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ball — a dance
  16. staff — a stick
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. tube — a container
  20. race — the arms race
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pop — soda
  23. race — humankind
  24. pop — to visit

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