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: patient · race · safe · cap · fan · current · date · deal

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. cap — of ice
  4. deal — to handle
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. current — electric
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. race — the arms race
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. race — a contest
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. date — the fruit
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cap — a hat
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. race — humankind
  22. cap — a lid
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. fan — a supporter

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