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: mate · content · patient · band · tube · current · suit · spell

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. content — happy
  3. suit — in cards
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. tube — a container
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. spell — a short time
  10. current — of water
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — magic
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. current — happening now
  16. tube — the underground
  17. band — a music group
  18. suit — to fit
  19. current — electric
  20. mate — a friend
  21. band — a ring
  22. mate — a partner
  23. suit — clothes
  24. content — the amount

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