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 116 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: scale · bat · board · wave · ruler · chip · patient · season

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. scale — in music
  4. season — of the year
  5. chip — to eat
  6. season — in sport
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. scale — size or range
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. board — to get on
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. chip — for betting
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. board — a committee

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