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: rock · patient · fall · jam · cabinet · game · cap · toast

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. rock — music
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cap — of ice
  8. game — a match
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. fall — the season
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. cap — a hat
  13. toast — bread
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. fall — to drop
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fall — to drop
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. game — wild animals
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. rock — a stone
  24. cap — a lid

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