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 120 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 · content · can · lean · last · fan · pass · present

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — finally
  5. content — happy
  6. last — final
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. can — a tin
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. lean — to bend
  11. can — a tin
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. present — a gift
  14. can — to be able to
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. pass — a permit
  20. lean — thin
  21. present — the time now
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — the amount
  24. present — there

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