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 120 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: charge · mark · patient · race · spell · pitcher · can · hide

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — a price
  4. spell — magic
  5. can — to be able to
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. charge — electricity
  8. can — a tin
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. mark — a trace
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. race — the arms race
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. spell — letters
  20. can — a tin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. race — a contest
  23. spell — a short time
  24. race — humankind

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