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: bark · squash · present · rule · pass · patient

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. present — the time now
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. present — there
  5. present — a gift
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rule — government
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bark — to shout
  15. squash — the sport
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bark — a dog's sound

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