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 · stock · kick · bound · toast · patient · staff · tear

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. staff — employees
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. staff — a stick
  6. tear — to rip
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bound — obliged
  11. stock — shares
  12. toast — bread
  13. staff — employees
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bound — tied together
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. tear — from crying
  18. kick — in football
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — goods
  24. tear — from crying

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