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: stand · track · bass · chest · bay · patient · mine · saw

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bass — the fish
  8. chest — of your body
  9. stand — to bear
  10. track — a song
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. track — a path
  14. bass — low music
  15. saw — the tool
  16. track — to keep track
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — a box
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mine — for digging
  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