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: patient · ruler · suit · fall · toast · cap

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. cap — of ice
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cap — a hat
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cap — a lid
  10. fall — the season
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — bread
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — to drop

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