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: patient · toast · object · track · march · coach · bear · prune

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. object — an aim
  3. bear — the animal
  4. track — a song
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. object — a thing
  7. march — the month
  8. toast — bread
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — to protest
  11. march — the month
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. march — music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. track — to keep track
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. track — a path
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. prune — to trim
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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