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: ball · suit · date · pop · patient · squash · straw · mouse

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pop — to visit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. squash — to crush
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. squash — the sport
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pop — soda
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. pop — music
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. date — the fruit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. ball — a great time

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