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: mouse · bound · wax · pit · racket · patient · pound · ball

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bound — obliged
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pound — a weight
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pit — a hole
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bound — certain
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bound — tied together

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