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

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cap — of ice
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. season — in sport
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. club — for dancing
  9. wake — a trail
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cell — a phone
  12. present — a gift
  13. cap — a hat
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. club — for golf
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. club — a group
  19. charge — a price
  20. cap — a lid
  21. present — there
  22. season — of the year
  23. present — the time now
  24. season — to add flavour

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