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 · chip · date · patient · stem · tear · tube · cue

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. charge — electricity
  4. tube — the underground
  5. cue — for pool
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. tube — a container
  10. chip — for betting
  11. cue — a signal
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. tear — from crying
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. charge — a price
  20. tear — from crying
  21. stem — to come from
  22. charge — in control
  23. cue — a hint
  24. tear — to rip

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