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: prune · mug · safe · patient · degree · cap · chest · pop

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. chest — of your body
  3. degree — temperature
  4. chest — of your body
  5. prune — to trim
  6. degree — an amount
  7. degree — from a university
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mug — a cup
  12. prune — to trim
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cap — a hat
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pop — soda
  22. chest — a box
  23. mug — a face
  24. pop — music

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