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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rush — hurry
  4. last — finally
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. last — to go on
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. scale — in music
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. scale — size or range
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. date — the fruit
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. last — final
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lean — to bend
  24. patient — a sick person

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