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: spell · mouse · swing · dip · coach · patient · ball · rest

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. spell — letters
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. swing — music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rest — a break
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rest — what's left
  20. swing — in golf
  21. spell — magic
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. spell — a short time

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