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 120 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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. kick — in football
  3. current — electric
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. tube — a container
  7. bat — the animal
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. current — of water
  11. fine — all right
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. fine — high quality
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. march — music
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. current — happening now
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. tube — the underground

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