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: ruler · chip · jam · patient · rest · clip · can · stand

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — for paper
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. chip — for betting
  8. can — a tin
  9. rest — what's left
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. rest — what's left
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rest — a break
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. clip — a video
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. can — a tin

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