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: patient · stick · bass · deal · current · temple · date · bowl

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. current — electric
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bass — low music
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. current — happening now
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bass — the fish
  22. current — of water
  23. date — the fruit
  24. temple — a place of worship

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