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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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 spend time
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — happy
  6. cap — a hat
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. last — to go on
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. last — final
  12. craft — boats
  13. pass — a permit
  14. last — finally
  15. content — the amount
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. root — the cause
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — a skill
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cap — of ice
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — of a word
  24. temple — a place of worship

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