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: patient · toast · scale · dip · bat · court · firm · cue

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. court — for sport
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. court — of law
  6. dip — to sink
  7. firm — steady
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. firm — a company
  10. cue — a hint
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. toast — bread
  15. cue — a signal
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. firm — decided
  18. cue — for pool
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. court — of a king
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. scale — size or range

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