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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. degree — an amount
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pit — a hole
  8. march — the month
  9. bank — for money
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bank — for money
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. march — the month
  14. bank — of a river
  15. degree — from a university
  16. pit — in a race
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. pass — a permit
  20. march — music
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. key — for a lock
  23. degree — temperature
  24. safe — out of danger

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