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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bass — low music
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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