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: charge · mine · ground · pass · patient · roll · land · bay

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. roll — a cake
  4. ground — a position
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. roll — a list
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ground — crushed
  14. mine — for digging
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. charge — in control
  18. land — ground
  19. land — to come down
  20. land — a country
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. charge — a price
  24. ground — the earth

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