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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. staff — employees
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pass — a permit
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. staff — employees
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. date — the fruit
  20. mine — for digging
  21. vault — a safe
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — an injury

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