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: lie · mug · patient · pit · roll · bowl · chest · racket

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. lie — to recline
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. mug — to rob
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. chest — a box
  9. mug — a face
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. roll — a cake
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. roll — a list
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. pit — a hole
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. chest — of your body
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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