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 116 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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wake — a trail
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. spring — the season
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. vault — a safe
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. stock — shares
  14. spring — of water
  15. stock — goods
  16. spring — a coil
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bowl — to roll

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