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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. charge — electricity
  7. foot — a measure
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. cap — of ice
  10. kid — child
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. charge — a price
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. scale — size or range
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. charge — in control
  20. kid — to tease
  21. cap — a hat
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. scale — in music
  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