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: club · game · temple · dip · bowl · bound · foot · patient

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. game — a match
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. dip — to sink
  10. foot — a measure
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. club — a group
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. game — wild animals
  20. club — for golf
  21. bound — certain
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bowl — a dish

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