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 120 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: pitch · patient · game · temple · season · net · bank · fan

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. net — in sport
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. net — for catching
  6. season — in sport
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bank — of a river
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. game — a match
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. season — of the year
  14. pitch — completely
  15. net — after costs
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — for money
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. game — wild animals
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bank — for money
  24. temple — a place of worship

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