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: rash · deal · wound · ground · charge · march · patient · current

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. current — of water
  3. rash — hasty
  4. wound — an injury
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. wound — an injury
  8. current — electric
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. ground — the earth
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. march — the month
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. ground — a position
  16. march — music
  17. charge — a price
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. ground — crushed
  20. march — the month
  21. deal — to handle
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. current — happening now
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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