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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. face — part of the head
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. spring — of water
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. present — there
  8. present — the time now
  9. charge — electricity
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — a coil
  12. face — to point toward
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. present — a gift
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. charge — a price
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pound — a weight
  24. face — to confront

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