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: cabinet · firm · charge · lie · pound · tube · mug · patient

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. charge — a price
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pound — a weight
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. firm — a company
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. firm — steady
  11. tube — a container
  12. firm — decided
  13. lie — to recline
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mug — a cup
  16. charge — electricity
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. charge — in control
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. lie — an untruth

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