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: bat · swing · patient · jam · bank · object · row · temple

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. row — to paddle
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bank — of a river
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. object — an aim
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. swing — to play on
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. swing — in golf
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. swing — music
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. object — to protest
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bat — the animal
  21. object — a thing
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. row — a line

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