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: patient · rest · court · deal · staff · band · roll · mug

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mug — a face
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. staff — employees
  5. mug — to rob
  6. deal — to handle
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rest — what's left
  10. court — for sport
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. court — of law
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. mug — a cup
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. rest — a break
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a ring
  24. court — of a king

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