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 120 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 · tube · press · craft · foot · stick · pass · patient

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. foot — a measure
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. craft — boats
  5. pass — a permit
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. press — a publisher
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. tube — the underground
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. tube — a container
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. press — newspapers
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. press — to push

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