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 · rock · safe · patient · kid · coach · lie · degree

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. scale — in music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rock — music
  5. degree — from a university
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rock — a stone
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — size or range
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. degree — an amount
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. degree — temperature
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. kid — to tease

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