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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. prune — to trim
  3. race — a contest
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. club — for dancing
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. club — a group
  9. fine — all right
  10. club — for golf
  11. race — the arms race
  12. rock — music
  13. fine — high quality
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rock — a stone
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. race — humankind
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. fine — a penalty

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