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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. charge — in control
  3. kid — child
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. charge — electricity
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. deal — to handle
  8. land — a country
  9. club — for golf
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. land — ground
  14. chair — a leader
  15. kid — to tease
  16. prune — to trim
  17. land — to come down
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for dancing
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. charge — a price

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