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: date · cabinet · march · stand · safe · perch · patient · spell

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. perch — the fish
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. march — the month
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. march — the month
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stand — to bear
  11. date — the fruit
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. spell — a short time
  14. march — music
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — letters
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stand — for spectators

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