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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pit — in a race
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. drill — army training
  5. mine — for digging
  6. charge — a price
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. land — to come down
  9. pit — a hole
  10. charge — electricity
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. drill — the tool
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. land — ground
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. drill — a practice
  21. land — a country
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. saw — the tool
  24. charge — in control

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