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 116 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pass — a permit
  4. present — a gift
  5. rest — what's left
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rest — a break
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. perch — the fish
  19. craft — boats
  20. kick — in football
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. rest — what's left
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pass — to spend time

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