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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. swing — in golf
  8. mug — a face
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. swing — to play on
  13. mug — to rob
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mug — a cup
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. swing — music
  20. mate — a partner
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pass — a permit

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