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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bank — of a river
  5. key — the most important part
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. band — a music group
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. tube — a container
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bank — for money
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. band — a ring
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bank — for money
  24. band — a rubber band

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