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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. track — to keep track
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. firm — a company
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. tube — the underground
  15. firm — steady
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. date — the fruit
  18. firm — decided
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stand — to bear
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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