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 116 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: can · rest · swing · ball · patient · cap · bear · bark

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. cap — a hat
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cap — of ice
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. cap — a lid
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — in golf
  11. can — a tin
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. bear — the animal
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bear — the animal
  21. swing — music
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bark — to shout

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