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 116 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bat — the animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. charge — a price
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. deal — to handle
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. shower — to wash
  21. stem — to come from
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. trunk — of a tree

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