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 · firm · cold · jam · nail · patient · band · toast

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. band — a music group
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. toast — bread
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cold — an illness
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. firm — decided
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. firm — a company
  17. band — a ring
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. firm — steady
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. cold — the Cold War

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