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: track · patient · pop · spring · lash · board · court · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. track — to keep track
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. court — of law
  5. pop — music
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. court — for sport
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. track — a song
  10. court — of a king
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. track — a path
  13. pop — to visit
  14. spring — of water
  15. pop — soda
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. spring — the season
  19. content — happy
  20. board — to get on
  21. spring — a coil
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. board — a committee
  24. content — the amount

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