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: safe · club · spell · row · jam · degree · patient · key

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. spell — a short time
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. club — for dancing
  8. degree — temperature
  9. club — a group
  10. degree — from a university
  11. spell — magic
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. degree — an amount
  14. key — the most important part
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. key — for a lock
  18. club — for golf
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. spell — letters
  22. key — in music
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. row — a line

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