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: roll · cue · rush · field · stem · pitch · coach · patient

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — to come from
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pitch — completely
  11. roll — a cake
  12. field — farmland
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. cue — for pool
  15. field — for sport
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. field — a subject
  18. roll — a list
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. rush — hurry
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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