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: scale · cue · racket · ground · patient · rush · bay · lash

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. scale — in music
  6. ground — a position
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. ground — crushed
  13. cue — a signal
  14. ground — the earth
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. scale — size or range

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