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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. court — for sport
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. chip — to eat
  5. court — of a king
  6. band — a ring
  7. chip — for betting
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. fall — the season
  13. band — a music group
  14. court — of law
  15. roll — a list
  16. charge — a price
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. roll — a cake
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. patient — a sick person

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