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: saw · patient · ball · lean · suit · charge · stem · racket

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. charge — a price
  6. saw — the tool
  7. charge — in control
  8. saw — the tool
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stem — to come from
  13. suit — to fit
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. ball — a great time
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. ball — a dance
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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