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: tube · jam · track · chair · patient · club · rush · wake

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. club — for dancing
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. rush — hurry
  6. chair — a leader
  7. track — a song
  8. wake — a trail
  9. track — to keep track
  10. tube — a container
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. tube — the underground
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — a group
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. track — a path
  24. jam — in traffic

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