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: last · perch · club · land · chip · bass · safe · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — to eat
  5. last — to go on
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — a group
  11. perch — the fish
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. last — finally
  18. land — a country
  19. bass — low music
  20. last — final
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. club — for dancing
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. perch — for a bird

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