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: dip · track · patient · bank · ball · tube · bear · pit

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pit — a hole
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. tube — a container
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. track — a path
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to sink
  17. track — to keep track
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bank — for money
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bear — the animal
  24. track — a song

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