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: cabinet · season · patient · pit · bat · nail · racket · vault

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. season — of the year
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bat — the animal
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. pit — in a race
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. season — in sport
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. racket — a loud noise

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