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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · cap · patient · firm · kick · fall

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — the season
  6. club — for dancing
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fall — to drop
  9. cap — a hat
  10. firm — steady
  11. cap — a lid
  12. firm — decided
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. firm — a company
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. cap — of ice
  17. kick — in football
  18. club — a group

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