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: pop · land · patient · season · bat · firm · foot · cue

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. cue — for pool
  4. land — to come down
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. pop — music
  7. season — in sport
  8. firm — decided
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. bat — the animal
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. firm — a company
  18. season — of the year
  19. cue — a hint
  20. firm — steady
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pop — soda

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