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: dip · band · charge · pass · hand · jam · patient · bay

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. band — a music group
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. dip — to sink
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. charge — in control
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. hand — help
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. band — a ring
  17. charge — a price
  18. pass — a permit
  19. hand — in cards
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. band — a rubber band

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