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: patient · dip · jam · pit · hand · can · scale · bear

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. scale — size or range
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. scale — in music
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — help
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. dip — to sink
  19. hand — in cards
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. pit — in a race
  23. can — to be able to
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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