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: present · plane · bay · safe · date · row · patient · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. row — a line
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. date — the fruit
  10. present — the time now
  11. rest — what's left
  12. plane — a tool
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. present — a gift
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rest — what's left
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. present — there
  24. row — to paddle

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