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: mine · foot · sharp · pitcher · fan · pop · pit · patient

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. pop — music
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. sharp — clever
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mine — for digging
  13. pit — a hole
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. pop — soda
  24. fan — to cool the air

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