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: bass · bat · game · patient · cue · key · wake · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. key — the most important part
  7. game — wild animals
  8. key — for a lock
  9. wake — a trail
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cue — a signal
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — low music
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. key — in music
  24. game — a match

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