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: last · stick · drill · scale · patient · coach · bass · dip

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bass — the fish
  3. last — finally
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bass — low music
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. drill — army training
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. drill — a practice
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. dip — to sink
  22. drill — the tool
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. last — final

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