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: can · chest · patient · pass · charge · band · rock · pound

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. band — a ring
  4. chest — a box
  5. pass — a permit
  6. charge — electricity
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. charge — a price
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rock — a stone
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. chest — of your body
  16. band — a music group
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. rock — music
  19. charge — in control
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. can — a tin
  22. pound — a weight
  23. can — a tin
  24. pass — to spend time

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