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: rash · wound · coach · patient · bass · fine · mine · court

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fine — all right
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bass — the fish
  11. court — of law
  12. wound — an injury
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rash — hasty
  16. wound — an injury
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. court — for sport
  19. bass — low music
  20. mine — for digging
  21. court — of a king
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. mine — an explosive

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