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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bass — the fish
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bass — low music
  23. rash — a series
  24. branch — a division

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