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: cell · bowl · shower · pass · patient · swing · bark · board

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bark — to shout
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cell — a phone
  6. swing — in golf
  7. shower — rain
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. cell — in biology
  16. board — a committee
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. shower — to wash
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. swing — to play on
  23. board — to get on
  24. bowl — a football final

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