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: snap · spell · pitch · firm · charge · patient · hide · object

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. charge — a price
  3. spell — letters
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. charge — electricity
  6. object — to protest
  7. firm — decided
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. object — an aim
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. snap — to click
  15. object — a thing
  16. spell — a short time
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. spell — magic
  20. charge — in control
  21. firm — steady
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. firm — a company
  24. hide — animal skin

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