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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. squash — the sport
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — a face
  14. squash — to crush
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. key — in music
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rush — hurry
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. temple — side of the head

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