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: current · pass · ball · stick · shower · pitcher · patient · perch

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. perch — the fish
  4. current — happening now
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. shower — to wash
  10. current — of water
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. ball — a great time
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. shower — rain
  18. current — electric
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. patient — a sick person

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