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: pound · drill · present · coach · bank · patient · toast · date

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. toast — bread
  4. pound — a weight
  5. present — a gift
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. drill — the tool
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. drill — a practice
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. drill — army training
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. date — the fruit
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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