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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · race · present · chip · content · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. toast — bread
  3. chip — for betting
  4. race — the arms race
  5. present — the time now
  6. chip — to eat
  7. race — a contest
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. race — humankind
  13. present — there
  14. content — happy
  15. present — a gift
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. content — the amount

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