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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cold — not warm
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. pass — a permit
  14. current — happening now
  15. kid — child
  16. fine — high quality
  17. cold — an illness
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rest — what's left
  21. kid — to tease
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. current — electric
  24. fine — all right

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