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: bark · jam · mug · cue · kid · patient · spring · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. cue — a signal
  4. kid — child
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. club — for dancing
  13. mug — a cup
  14. spring — of water
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. club — for golf
  17. bark — to shout
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — a coil
  20. kid — to tease
  21. mug — to rob
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. mug — a face

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