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: cell · patient · drill · date · rush · bass · object · season

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — an aim
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bass — low music
  5. season — in sport
  6. drill — a practice
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. drill — army training
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. cell — a phone
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. season — of the year
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bass — the fish
  18. object — to protest
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cell — in biology
  21. rush — hurry
  22. date — the fruit
  23. rush — to hurry
  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