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: patient · pass · wave · rest · charge · hand · spell · lie

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. hand — in cards
  4. pass — a permit
  5. charge — in control
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rest — what's left
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. hand — help
  13. charge — electricity
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. spell — a short time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. lie — to recline
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. spell — magic
  21. charge — a price
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. spell — letters

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