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: band · object · patient · tube · ball · charge · chip · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. charge — a price
  4. object — a thing
  5. tube — the underground
  6. band — a ring
  7. chip — for betting
  8. charge — electricity
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rock — music
  12. object — to protest
  13. rock — a stone
  14. charge — in control
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. chip — to eat
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. object — an aim
  19. band — a music group
  20. ball — a dance
  21. tube — a container
  22. ball — a great time
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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