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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rest — a break
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rest — what's left
  7. plane — a tool
  8. march — the month
  9. degree — from a university
  10. march — music
  11. degree — temperature
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rock — music
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. march — the month
  20. degree — an amount
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. plane — in geometry

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