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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. squash — to crush
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. spell — a short time
  6. tube — a container
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. spell — magic
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. kick — in football
  11. charge — electricity
  12. tube — the underground
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. spell — letters
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. charge — in control
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. charge — a price
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. squash — the sport

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