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: current · fall · toast · plane · cap · patient · season · cell

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. season — of the year
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — a lid
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. season — in sport
  9. fall — to drop
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. cell — in biology
  12. current — of water
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. fall — the season
  15. toast — bread
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. current — happening now
  18. cell — a phone
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. fall — to drop
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. current — electric
  24. plane — a tool

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