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: jam · board · temple · patient · file · cap · bear · drill

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. drill — army training
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. drill — a practice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a tool
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cap — of ice
  15. board — a committee
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. board — to get on
  21. file — a line of people
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. drill — the tool
  24. jam — a tight spot

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