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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a great time
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. track — to keep track
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — of the year
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — a song
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. track — a path
  17. ground — the earth
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ground — a position
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ground — crushed

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