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: can · pound · swing · scale · band · patient · racket · object

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. can — a tin
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. swing — to play on
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a ring
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. object — a thing
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pound — a weight
  14. scale — size or range
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. swing — music
  21. swing — in golf
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — an aim
  24. pound — for dogs

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