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: straw · pass · board · patient · pit · mouse · ball · capital

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pit — a hole
  7. ball — a great time
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. capital — money
  11. ball — a dance
  12. board — a committee
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. board — to get on
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. capital — a city
  24. straw — dry grass

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