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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mug — to rob
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. court — of law
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rest — what's left
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. dip — to sink
  11. court — of a king
  12. rest — what's left
  13. court — for sport
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. rest — a break
  18. mark — a grade
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mug — a face

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