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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pass — a permit
  3. track — a song
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. mug — a cup
  7. tear — to rip
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. board — to get on
  10. mug — to rob
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. mug — a face
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. tear — from crying
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. board — a committee
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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