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: present · dip · safe · degree · foot · cabinet · patient · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — hurry
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. present — there
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. degree — an amount
  9. present — the time now
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. foot — a measure
  14. present — a gift
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. degree — from a university
  18. degree — temperature
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rush — a thrill

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