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: band · kick · date · staff · cap · bass · patient · foot

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bass — the fish
  8. staff — a stick
  9. cap — of ice
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. cap — a lid
  12. staff — employees
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bass — low music
  15. kick — in football
  16. staff — employees
  17. band — a music group
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. cap — a hat
  21. band — a ring
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — the fruit

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