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 120 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: ball · bark · cap · mouse · pop · staff · patient · object

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pop — music
  3. staff — a stick
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bark — to shout
  6. ball — a great time
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pop — to visit
  9. staff — employees
  10. pop — soda
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. staff — employees
  14. object — an aim
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. cap — of ice
  20. ball — a dance
  21. object — to protest
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. object — a thing
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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