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: patient · game · pit · craft · swing · bass · board · bowl

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pit — in a race
  9. board — to get on
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. game — a match
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. board — a committee
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bass — the fish
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. pit — a hole
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bass — low music
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bowl — to roll

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