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: swing · chair · patient · present · date · pound · fork · snap

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. present — the time now
  4. pound — a weight
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. present — a gift
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. present — there
  11. date — the fruit
  12. chair — a leader
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to click
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. swing — in golf
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. swing — music
  23. fork — in a road
  24. swing — to play on

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