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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pass — a permit
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. tube — a container
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. tube — the underground
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. current — electric
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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