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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  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. pit — a fruit stone
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pit — a hole
  9. ground — the earth
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. ground — a position
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pit — in a race
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. ball — a dance
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. ground — crushed
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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