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: game · cell · patient · jam · foot · cue · rock · leaves

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. cue — a signal
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. rock — music
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. cue — for pool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. game — wild animals
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. foot — a measure
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. cue — a hint
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. game — a match
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. cell — a phone
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. cell — in biology

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