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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. firm — steady
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. season — of the year
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. last — finally
  12. scale — in music
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bass — low music
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. last — to go on
  18. roll — a list
  19. roll — a cake
  20. scale — size or range
  21. season — in sport
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. last — final

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