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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. charge — a price
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. charge — electricity
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — army training
  15. stand — to bear
  16. drill — the tool
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — of the year
  19. charge — in control
  20. perch — the fish
  21. season — in sport
  22. race — humankind
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. race — the arms race

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