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: dip · pitch · patient · cell · stock · ball · last · coach

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. last — to go on
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. ball — a great time
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. dip — to sink
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. cell — in biology
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. ball — a dance
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. last — final
  17. stock — goods
  18. last — finally
  19. pitch — completely
  20. stock — shares
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. cell — a phone
  24. stock — a soup base

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