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: land · patient · pit · bay · tube · board · ball · vault

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. land — a country
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. board — a committee
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. ball — a great time
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. land — ground
  12. pit — in a race
  13. board — to get on
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. ball — a dance
  20. tube — a container
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. vault — a safe
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pit — a hole

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