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: mine · foot · mark · pop · key · bay · patient · game

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. foot — a measure
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. pop — soda
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. key — in music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. game — a match
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. game — wild animals
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mark — a grade
  21. pop — music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mark — to pay attention

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