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 · patient · prune · land · bay · plane · key · board

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. current — electric
  4. land — to come down
  5. board — to get on
  6. key — the most important part
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. current — happening now
  9. key — for a lock
  10. current — of water
  11. land — a country
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. board — a committee
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. land — ground
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. prune — to trim
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. key — in music
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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