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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · charge · bark · patient · deal · fall · tube · vault

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. fall — to drop
  3. deal — to handle
  4. tube — the underground
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pop — soda
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. fall — the season
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pop — music
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bark — to shout
  21. tube — a container
  22. vault — a safe
  23. fall — to drop
  24. charge — a price

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