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 120 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: face · cabinet · patient · stick · charge · hide · hand · court

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. court — of a king
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — help
  6. face — part of the head
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. face — to confront
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. court — for sport
  15. charge — a price
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. court — of law
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — in control
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. face — to point toward

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