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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. scale — size or range
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bore — to drill
  7. track — a song
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bat — the animal
  10. track — to keep track
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. scale — in music
  13. mark — a grade
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mark — a trace
  23. track — a path
  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