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 120 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: wake · key · patient · spring · pit · bass · rest · pass

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. key — in music
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rest — a break
  9. spring — a coil
  10. spring — of water
  11. pit — a hole
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. spring — the season
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the fish
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pass — a permit
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. key — for a lock
  24. wake — a trail

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