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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — in control
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. clip — a video
  11. present — the time now
  12. toast — bread
  13. clip — to cut
  14. pop — to visit
  15. present — a gift
  16. pop — music
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — for golf
  19. kick — in football
  20. club — a group
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. present — there
  23. clip — for paper
  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