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: bound · rush · roll · firm · saw · patient · charge · cell

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. charge — a price
  3. firm — steady
  4. roll — a list
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — certain
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. firm — a company
  10. roll — a cake
  11. rush — hurry
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. firm — decided
  15. charge — in control
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bound — obliged
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cell — a phone
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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