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 120 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: cap · can · sharp · board · pound · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. board — to get on
  3. sharp — clever
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — a lid
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. cap — of ice
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. board — a committee
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. pound — a weight
  17. can — a tin
  18. board — a flat piece

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