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: bass · dip · track · tube · staff · pass · craft · patient

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — a container
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. track — to keep track
  12. staff — employees
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bass — low music
  15. staff — a stick
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. track — a path
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bass — the fish
  22. staff — employees
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — boats

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