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: land · dip · patient · can · staff · mug · temple · race

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. land — to come down
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. race — humankind
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. staff — employees
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. race — a contest
  14. mug — to rob
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mug — a face
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. land — ground
  20. race — the arms race
  21. dip — to sink
  22. land — a country
  23. mug — a cup
  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