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: suit · charge · patient · branch · capital · race · pitcher · roll

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. branch — a division
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. capital — money
  7. race — a contest
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. race — humankind
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. capital — a city
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. race — the arms race
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. charge — electricity
  18. roll — a list
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. suit — to fit
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  24. patient — a sick person

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