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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rush — hurry
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. content — happy
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. land — to come down
  7. pit — in a race
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. saw — the tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. saw — the tool
  13. land — a country
  14. pit — a hole
  15. plane — a tool
  16. land — ground
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. content — the amount
  24. charge — electricity

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