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: file · safe · race · pass · patient · firm

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. pass — a permit
  3. race — the arms race
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. firm — steady
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. race — humankind
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. firm — decided
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. file — a line of people
  12. firm — a company
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. file — a document
  15. race — a contest
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. file — a tool

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