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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — a law
  5. charge — electricity
  6. court — of law
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mate — a friend
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mate — a partner
  11. rule — government
  12. staff — employees
  13. row — a line
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — to paddle
  17. charge — a price
  18. mate — to breed
  19. court — for sport
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. court — of a king
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. charge — in control

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