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: pound · leaves · cue · drill · wind · track · bowl · patient

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  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. pound — for dogs
  2. cue — for pool
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. track — a path
  8. cue — a signal
  9. drill — the tool
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. track — to keep track
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. cue — a hint
  17. wind — moving air
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — a practice
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wind — moving air
  23. patient — a sick person
  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