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 116 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: squash · field · track · scale · bass · patient · board · ruler

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. track — a path
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. board — to get on
  8. field — a subject
  9. bass — low music
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. track — to keep track
  13. field — for sport
  14. squash — the sport
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. track — a song
  18. board — a committee
  19. field — farmland
  20. squash — to crush
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bass — the fish
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. patient — a sick person

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